Customer Service

I saw this lady
in aisle 19
and asked her
if she was finding everything
alright
and she said sort of
and I said
well that’s half the fun
isn’t it
and she laughed
a customer’s laugh
and my bosses looked at me
and smiled
and it made me feel good
like I had done my job
and then I felt
unimaginable terror
I need some sleep
I thought
as she took her gin to the register
we all
need some sleep
as my bosses smiled
worse than the addict in the street
or a bad game show
at every hardware store
kitchen appliance store
bodega
worse
than any war
and that’s
half the fun
isn’t it

© 2008 Lee Kitzis