And of course,
my friends stop by every so often.
Sometimes to actually buy gasoline,
but more often just to chat.

To see how I'm doing
or what's going on later
or this weekend.
To share the latest gossip
and teasingly rub in the fact
that I am stuck at work
and they are not.

Sometimes, if I've been here awhile,
one of them will bring me lunch
or dinner
or whatever mealtime it happens to be.

They help me figure out words
on the day's newspaper crossword
or ask about the latest book I've read
or band I've seen
or guy I've dated.

They come in to catch up
and to cheer me up,
and then they leave,
to go back to their jobs
or homes
or classes,
leaving me with that much less
time to fill behind the counter.

05/29/2003

Posted on 06/02/2003
Copyright © 2025 Amanda J Cobb