A Mild Winter Night
The cop shined a light into the white car with Wisconsin plates. Was there a criminal inside? Would that criminal come out shooting? No. A blue handicapped tag hung from the rear view mirror. I secretly smiled at the shady guy coming the opposite way.
A couple entwined -- a white woman and a black man spun out of the restaurant. I smelled his cologne. It smelled like pine needles. I wondered why I am not part of a mixed-race couple. I did not decide why.
Then what happened?
I decided not to drink the rum and Diet Coke I have at home. I thought that it would be better for my responsibilities if I drank beer. Outside the bright 7-11, I saw a girl with a heavy instrument, probably a cello. While she looked at the flavored waters, I took a six-pack of Busch. There was a man in line who could neither shut up nor count his change. I decided it was bad form to buy just a six-pack of Busch. I looked around for the chocolate, but couldn't find it. The man was still talking and counting his change. Six-pack tucked under my arm, I walked down one aisle, up another. I grabbed a (choco-buttery) Skor Bar. But that struck me as sad. So sad. So I grabbed two Skor bars (one for each of us who scored tonight).
Did you later toss a Skor bar at a homeless man?
Yes.
Did you later toss a Skor bar at a thick unshaven man waiting for the bus?
Yes.
I paid for my items as the girl's instrument filled in behind me. I walked out the door, towards home, and had another Epiphany: "Tell them what happened, with the senses, not with the mind."
Spreading an unknown R&B song, a white Ford Escape stopped and turned right.
A couple entwined -- a white woman and a black man spun out of the restaurant. I smelled his cologne. It smelled like pine needles. I wondered why I am not part of a mixed-race couple. I did not decide why.
Then what happened?
I decided not to drink the rum and Diet Coke I have at home. I thought that it would be better for my responsibilities if I drank beer. Outside the bright 7-11, I saw a girl with a heavy instrument, probably a cello. While she looked at the flavored waters, I took a six-pack of Busch. There was a man in line who could neither shut up nor count his change. I decided it was bad form to buy just a six-pack of Busch. I looked around for the chocolate, but couldn't find it. The man was still talking and counting his change. Six-pack tucked under my arm, I walked down one aisle, up another. I grabbed a (choco-buttery) Skor Bar. But that struck me as sad. So sad. So I grabbed two Skor bars (one for each of us who scored tonight).
Did you later toss a Skor bar at a homeless man?
Yes.
Did you later toss a Skor bar at a thick unshaven man waiting for the bus?
Yes.
I paid for my items as the girl's instrument filled in behind me. I walked out the door, towards home, and had another Epiphany: "Tell them what happened, with the senses, not with the mind."
Spreading an unknown R&B song, a white Ford Escape stopped and turned right.
posted by JMH | 12:18 AM
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