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my phone is haunted by another shadow

her name is Linda Lee

every day there are calls from collection agencies

Linda owes money everywhere and

has skipped town

leaving me with her details

her phone number that doesn't spell anything

I feel a strange sneaking guilt when they call

as if I might really be Linda Lee

they might somehow prove it

the irrational blush of the good girl

accused of lying

who suddenly doubts her own truth

the second week I say things like

Linda's a tour guide in the

Dominican Republic now

I don't think she's coming back

or

Linda left to work with Greenpeace

she disappeared last fall

a tragic dinghy accident they were

chained to a Russian whaler

these telephone voices remind me of

my ex-husband parental somehow

slightly disapproving but

too polite to accuse one of anything

to spell it all out

shades of Linda Lee

Leslie Greentree

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