Humility

There was silence, and then

a squeak;


then, from the squeaky subject,
a furtive glance over and back -

then a surprised return glance
quickly withdrawn  -

but then,
another, deliberate, accusatory look

and then, finally,

(seconds after)

four eyes meet
and shame fills the noxious space between
two pairs of nostrils.


Thank God we have recourse to
chuckles
otherwise we would probably
explode.