One of my friends said the n-word yesterday. 
Or, at least, I think she did. 

It just flew out of her mouth. 
Like a baby bird, 
or a flyaway hair, 
pulled out of place. 

I sat so still. 
Too frozen, 
for anyone, 
to even notice me. 

Just another stray snowflake 
in a deluge of cold.

I wished her a happy Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month, 
because maybe she didn’t say it. 

But maybe she did.