The poetic city: “The Wisdom of Ellis 12/22/16”

The half dollar has more meaning than one.

The Wisdom of Ellis     12/22/16

When our great aunt Mildred, 

whom we always called Mimi,

scolded her second husband Ellis 

in front of the whole family   

at the Christmas Eve dinner, 

I was aghast. 

She told him in no uncertain terms

he would never be half the man 

that Max was. 

To make sure Ellis got the message,

she pointed a crooked finger at him 

and repeated it twice.

Ellis had no illusions about being 

the equal of Mimi’s first husband.

Few men could have traveled the distance

Uncle Max did from the orphanage

to the Roosevelt Hotel. 

But Ellis was no slouch either.

Hesitating only a moment, 

he looked Mimi straight in the eye

and calmly replied, 

“Mildred, sometimes in life 

you just have to take fifty cents

on the dollar.”