450 DeKalb Ave

by Tom Leopardi

There is a picture
Of my father
And my grandfather
Not my father’s father
My mother’s father
Standing in front of a stoop
In front of the apartment building
That my grandmother and grandfather lived in in Brooklyn
If there was a service that could date these things it would tell you that it was late 1940s
Probably 1948
My father wore a sports jacket tie and a hat
My grandfather wore a double breasted grey suit
Even though it was a black and white photo you could tell the cut and color of the suit
My father had a broad smile
My grandfather smiled a little less
Somewhat more aware of the slowly fading headache from too much last night drink
Scotch for my father
Canadian whiskey for my grandfather
Camels and Canadian club neat
My drunk father and even drunker grandfather sitting in
A small but neat immigrant Brooklyn apartment
Choosing my name