It Was Me

My uncle had taken me to the park

he was the only adult

who would play tag

or ride down the big slide with me

if i got scared

uncle was mama's baby brother

but i do not know why

she called him baby

he was a teenager

a gazillion years older than me

he drove us back home

drumming his hands on the steering wheel

singing along to the radio

adding in potty words

to make me giggle

when we got back

mama and daddy were waiting

to ask us if we had fun

and to soon

it was time

to hug uncle goodbye

you are going to be a great

dad someday, i said

he smiled

ruffled my hair

but what he did not say

is that he already had a kid

and it was me.