Luv

I am in
London
In 1973 in
An old WW2
Underground
Station having
In near darkness
Just exited a train
And am standing at
A narrow door to the
Lift next to a narrower
Door to hundreds of steps
Up to the surface so I wait for
The lift which opens and I see a
Tiny space and a black lady with
A few extra pounds leaning up
Against the lift wall who says
To me hello Luv and I stop,
Hesitate a second which
Makes her smile then I
Say hello how are you
Politely and she says
Get in Luv so I step
Into the lift and we
Begin a jerky ride
To the surface
During which
I realize her
Blue outfit
Is a suit
Uniform
And she is
An employee
Of the station
To work the lift
For one person at
A time which is both
Amusing and indicative
Of the modernization about
To sweep the London Transport
System but for now she laughs
At my discomfort at being so
Close and being called Luv
Which is the standard
Greeting under the
Circumstances so
We chug upwards
Bouncing side to
Side in what is
Closest to a
Coal mine
Elevator
Until a
Long
Time has
Past and we
Reach the surface
And I remark to this
Gracious lady that not
Many use her lift and she
Laughs again saying not many
But fewer try to climb out so
Many steps so it’s her lift
Or get back on the train
A choice I realize most
Take by staying on
But a lesson I’ve
Learned and
We part as
Friendly
Acquaintances
Of an Underground
Station from the past
Soon to be remodeled
And I learn not to wince
At being called a Luv
By a strange black
Woman in a dark
confined space
Far below the
Surface in a
Strange
Place.
Her
Smile
Was sweet.