old man in the gym shower

he was in the far corner,
i paid him no attention
until i turned around to rinse my back.
his spine was blue,
it stuck out like the fin of a swordfish.
his face was in his hands,
he was shaking.
i asked if he was ok,
he waved me off.
getting dressed at my locker
i could hear him moaning in there,
made my legs go limp
and i got out of there quick.
driving home
i thought how i'd never wept like that,
wondered what it would take.
my six month old son dying might do it.
i thought those things over
and for the first time
wondered where i wanted to be buried.
then the car behind me honked.
we had a green,
but i stayed put.