Extension

Dial tone

in my ear 

droning on 

like a fire alarm. 

Hovering fingers

over numbered buttons

pressing 1, 

because you're long-distance. 

A voice 

asks for an extension 

I stop, shocked 

that I got this far. 

Slam 

goes the phone

back in it's cradle 

back where it belongs. 

I return 

to my bed

to scold myself

for even considering this. 

"If I were stronger", I say. 

But I'm not.