The Training Ran Long, Gerald Yelle (March 2026)

 

The Training Ran Long

It made time stand still then 
move back and forth. 
They said we had to tough it 
out or hit bottom and maybe
breathe gas. We didn’t 
say a word. You could hear 
sniffles and throat clearings.
The rattle and hum of 
the air conditioner. The sun 
poured in. Somebody 
whispered. Someone crinkled 
cellophane and coughed.  
Someone moved a muscle. 
We could almost see 
the boredom bead like sweat 
on one another’s brows. 
When the whistle blew we 
made a run for it. 
You didn’t need eyes at that
stage. You’d stagger 
from window to window 
and slosh from the dry side 
to where it was wet.