his head so proud

You tell him that’s a bold statement. Does he not strike you as a bold man, he wants to know. You consider this before you answer, and you look at him as you consider. You ain’t sure that it helps, but you’re doing it. Bold’s not the word you’d choose, you say, finally. He asks what word you’d choose, and if you didn’t know better, you’d call it almost playful. Flirtatious. You’re not sure you do know better, mind. You tell him strong’s one that comes to mind. Anchor might be another, with what he was saying about community. You don’t ask him what he’d use to describe you; you ain’t that narcissistic. And you’re not sure you want to know, either.