"If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite." --William Blake
they sat waiting.
the old guy thinking
the kid with the ring in his nose doing something with both hands
to a small black box
the man watched the thumbs
fast they were!
the boy giving a lurch once like he'd been shoved
from behind
the boy seems fine he told himself
and he sat with that
the girl swinging her foot talking out loud
no shit sherlock
sometimes they did that what did he say then
these conversations with no one apparently there
what the fuck
but this did not bother the man,
not even
when he forgot what he was thinking and when she left
he knew there would be more. this one
with a baby whose eyes did not move
and the old man worried.
he waggled a finger and made smiley face
then the 117 Pearl-UDist-GastonHgts
and the boy was gone,
the girl with the baby digging for the fare
did not see it rolling
the baby's head a flower teetering on its tiny stem
flopping to one side like no tomorrow.
he bent to pick it up
don't jest set there do something!
and then they were gone
and the old man thought:
of the day and her so afraid
the long drive in the sedan his brother had loaned
and him looking over the seat and slowing for bumps
oh the road was so so bumpy
like a sheep bleating when the lamb won't come,
dark and rain and cold to keep the disease down
only the good lord knows why they can't tend to themselfs
when she would say at this time of night not wanting to be left alone
it wasn't her thing but she'd have coffee,
waiting while he washed clear past his elbows dirtying the sink.
he let the little one suck his finger
while she cried in the bath with the Delft tiles
his mother had chosen when he was, what? twelve
that she loved best.
and he thought
these things just happen
Doc Harris it couldn't be helped
but nowadays a code 100 or something
and too many tubes to see who was really
in there
her hand under his
a thing he'd touched every day coming home and leaving
to feel so different
and to not squeeze back.
but there would be no code 100
for him no sirree
and no eyes or kidneys when it was all said and done,
wondering where it was and how long it was taking
and maybe the next would be the one.
and that was really quite alright the man thought to himself
no need to even discuss it
a girl out by the curb instead of sitting
where the bus would come.
