Best Before

Left early,
Only 4am,
Late Fall with the promise of snow.
Return to my lonely room,
Or do I go to the Market.
The Market wins.

The rules are different at night.
Enter through the exit,
And try hard to make eye contact,
Through the thousand yard stares.
Everyone's the same,
Except for the guy with the bag of fig newtons.

More staff than customers,
But all are just as glazed over as the left behind donuts.
And just as stale.
We move past each other as ghosts
"Clean up in aisle 3"
Don't hurry.

You get through the checkouts fast.
You can find your car.
But why do I want to get nowhere fast.
Nowhere with my bananas and Lean Cuisine.
My aching joints.
My broken spirit.

All quiet except for sirens,
Luring sailors to the rocks.
Streets deserted except for cops at intersections.
Waiting for empty gestures to the traffic gods.
Are they bear claws?
Or just glazed too.

Light from under my door.
I leave it to welcome me.
No one there to do it.
Except for my "best before" cheese.
We have an understanding.
WE will grow old together.

Now to beat the sun.
Before he stares at me from around the shade.
The thief that he is means he will rob me again.
Why can't we get along.
Why can't we reach an understanding.
Like me and my "best before" cheese.