Monday, April 15, 2013

The Greeter


You gotta give the guy some props.
Anyone whose vocal cords can endure an entire day of,

“Helloooo, and welcome tooooo
Waaalllll*maaarrt!”

spouted off with religious zeal
to the incoming herds, their heads and eyes down

as they grab their carts and stampede
past, avoiding the guy like he’s

calling them to repentance instead
of greeting them at the store’s entrance.

I’m sure he’s a nice enough guy,
but he sounds more like a sports announcer

pumping up the enthusiasm in the arena
at the beginning of a game

than a geriatric has-been whose retirement
benefits just won’t cover his medical bills

or his wife’s prescriptions. Or maybe
his wife is gone now,

and he doesn’t have anyone to come home to
or to greet when she comes through the front door

at the end of a busy day.

 

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