Channel Esther: Ken Across the Street

by Esther Cohen KEN ACROSS THE STREET Ken lives across the street old style pre hip hop you’re in the navy now tattoo chain smoker one cigarette behind his right ear at all times Ken I never liked him much until this summer. Hilda, gentle gardening wife Ken drove a truck for 41 years a very big truck he didn’t like it when people asked if he was a trucker he couldn’t say why not Hilda died in May. He held her hand and said goodbye. Now something of Hilda lives inside Ken and when he comes over every single afternoon around four he says he’s coming for free coffee and cookies even though he didn’t come across the road for 14 years, he walks over as though he always has and it’s ok with me because I see Hilda inside Ken and when he tells over and over again his one long story about his baking truck and Brooklyn I can see Hilda and she’s smiling.