while staring
at the swirl of colors
spilling around and around
one of the industrial-
sized dryers
i notice a placard
riveted to
the dryer with a list
of instructions on
how to use
the machine.
#1 is:
Check inside of machine for children, pets and
foreign objects before loading or starting cycle.
i pause for a second
and open the dryer
door to quickly
look into the mess
because i didn't check
before i loaded or started the dryer
and i want to
be sure there isn't
a doberman or a
small child trapped in
my underwear
or a foreign object
lodged in one of
my socks.
luckily for me, there
isn't and i can
continue to watch the
clothes tumble dry.
-published in Joey and the Black Boots