Clint
He’s tall and he loves himself
He’s Junior Whip for the Domino Party
He’s the coming man, he’s on the way up
Wherever up is only he knows
He’s popular, he smiles a lot, runs.
Worked for others, it’ll work for him.
He’s put a few noses out of joint –
he’s married but not to my sister
It’s only a matter of time, he says.
His wife doesn’t understand him.
He and my sister are soul mates.
They are meant for each other.
The only time we met he said,
Hey, you’re the lesbian sister, right?
Your sister says you do plumbing.
He smiled like it was really funny.
I’d like to do something drastic to his
U-bend but he knows he’s safe, my
sister has swallowed him, hook, line
and sinker. My destiny, she says.
Now she sobs on my shoulder,
something’s wrong, he promised me
he promised – our anniversary – please –
you find things so you find him – now.
Um, I say, I find missing cats, dogs
the occasional parrot who’s gone fly-bys.
Men, I say, are so not my area of expertise.
You’re my sister, she says, you have to.
I look around inside, outside, in her garage.
She’s furious – what the hell am I doing?
First rule, I say, a cat or dog goes missing?
Look for clues or for a body close to home.
He’s not at his other home, he’s not at work,
his Honda’s still parked in the work carpark,
his secretary has not seen him since Monday.
It’s now Wednesday. Odd for a Junior Whip.
You have to find him, my sister’s in tears, please
please, you’re my sister, you have to find him.
I found your red tractor. Hello? I was five? Hated
red tractors. Lost it on purpose. Wanted Yellow.
Mornings I’m looking for Gabriel, big dog-size
Maine Coon Cat, missing from Otaki. Paying job.
Look for Clint afternoons, OK? Angel, she says.
Big sister wrong again.
Renée
