Ode to My First Babysitter, 1989, by Coreen

Who: Coreen
What: First babysitter
When: 1989
Where: Ohio

Ode to my first babysitter

Jennifer Repas,

Whose father owned the bowling alley,

Came over to baby-sit,

And because I was shy,

Let me watch PBS all night by myself

While she studied her chemistry

And ate baby carrots.

When mom and dad came home

With a sliver of wedding cake

In its Styrofoam suitcase,

Jennifer had fallen asleep on the rocking

Chair, her bangs separating into thick silk

Fringe across her forehead. I was alone

On the big blue couch buying up

The best Monopoly lots for myself,

Hoping someone would yell,

Wait your turn!