looked back at the man.
I didn’t say anything.
I was thinking
maybe I’ll just take this can
even if it has a dent in it
and just move on.
Go look for some pickle relish.
I’ll leave this man
who walks up to people
and stares at them.
I turned to walk away.
The man spoke.
The man said
sir?
I thought
hell’s bells
it’s never good
when a stranger
walks up to you and calls you sir.
I turned
faced the man.
He asked me
Sir?
Have you been to Alamogordo?
I looked at the man.
He had big wide open eyes
his eyes were kind of wet.
He stood waiting
waiting for me to answer.
No, I lied
I haven't been to Alamogordo, wet-eyed man.
His shoulders slumped
his head drooped a little.
I wondered what aisle
the pickle relish was in.
Against all hope
he asked me another question.
Well, what about Wichita Falls?
Have you been there?
I looked at the man.
He had a big walrus moustache
but he wasn’t an old man.
It used to be
only old men had big walrus moustaches
because only old men
had lived back when
such moustaches were popular.
But now,
now that all those old walrus men had died off
and enough time had passed
some younger guys wore them too.
Sort of like suspenders.
Some younger guys were wearing suspenders now too.
I guess it was their way of saying
look at me.
When you come right down to it
most people are saying
look at me
one way or another
or they’re hoping
they don’t get noticed at all.
Count me in the latter category
at least on that day.
I just wanted some fucking beans.
I didn’t want to talk about where I'd been.
I didn't want to talk about where I hadn't been.
I didn’t want to talk to a man
with a big moustache.
I told him no.
No, bushy man, I haven't been to Wichita Falls.
The man gave a big sigh.
He had these big sad wet eyes.
He shook his head sadly.
He said something.
But he said it so quietly that
I couldn’t understand what he said.
He turned and walked away
still muttering
complaining to no one.
I was standing there
holding this can of beans
thinking
I’ll get some bread too.
Pinto beans are good on bread.
My dad used to put them on bread.