the sober woman

The Sober Woman

Years ago a day in June I had a new girlfriend but she was
drinking heavily; since I didn’t at the time she stopped too
June is beautiful month in the Algarve, green and pleasant,
an ocean of wild- flowers and a lush countryside.
We didn’t live together my house is small I like to be alone
during the day. She rang suggested we go swim in the lake.
She, a strong swimmer I less so swam a metre from shore.
Two days sober and she was crossing the lake got a fit and sank.
Sometimes we are tested and braver are than we think.
I swam out got her ashore, she was shivering clutching my hands.
Back home I put her to bed and gave her a medical brandy,
she slept and later that day I drove her to her an AA meeting, where
she promptly fell in love with a George Clooney look alike.
I met her a day told me she had not touched a drink for ten years
like so many sober alcoholics she was boring and suffered from
a faulty memory syndrome.