He lived

a bachelor

without indoor plumbing

except for the kitchen sink where

he filled

the wash

basin and shaved

in front of the mirror

that hung nearby. He spent his days

watching

the cows

and tinkering

with metal implements

after years as a Dekalb corn

salesman.

Sometimes,

on Friday nights,

my aunt would drive him to

bingo at the community

center.

He lived

a quiet life,

and when he died, the cows

missed him, and the water basin

went dry.