The Manager

Once upon a morning dreary, I was standing, waiting, weary,
Number two hundred and one before a store.
As I stood, in need of napping, from in front came sounds of tapping,
Feet impatiently tapping, tapping on the front steps of the door.
"'Tis tiresome," I thought, "waiting here before a store-
But it's worthwhile for Zelda 64."

Ah, how eagerly I waited, and how my spirit was elated,
As the store, although belated, sent an employee to unlock its door.
One by one the line proceeded; I thought I'd soon get the game I needed;
If only I had heeded- heeded the sign hung from the ceiling of the store-
That ominous sign an employee had wisely hung up in the store-
"Limited copies of Zelda 64."

Then the golden boxes gleaming and the buyers, faces beaming,
Thrilled me- filled me with memories of Zelda games of yore.
So that soon, my heart now pounding, due to awe the buyers were sounding,
My desire for the game compounding, I found myself directly before the store-
My heartbeat in my ears resounding, I stood myself directly before the store-
Next in line for Zelda 64.

Presently my heart jumped higher; pushing past an exiting buyer,
Holding onto the game store's flyer, I anxiously strode through the open door.
I found an employee in the store's rear, and asked for the game I held so dear.
But as he spoke, I sensed his fear, fear of angry customers in the store.
And his words, as I was listening, pierced through to my heart's core.
"I'm sorry, but we have no more."

No more?

Into an abyss I was falling, so crushed I was almost bawling,
Yet still, I held the hope that I had always held before.
Thus my spirit, still believing, perferred to think in terms deceiving,
And I, now angry, no longer grieving, whispered the words, "there must be more!"
This I whispered, and louder now, the deperate words "there must be more!"
Echoed through the store.

My back to the employee turning, my face red with anger burning,
Soon I heard a faint clicking, as of someone opening a door.
"Now then," said I, with a smile, "that employee tried myself to beguile,
But I was not merely in denial, for here comes my Zelda 64.
My rare and radiant golden box containing Zelda 64."
'Twas the manager, standing in the door.

Seeing him now, I turned about, not hesitating, without a doubt,
I demanded, all but in a shout, "Don't hide my copy of Zelda 64."
Not a slight acknowledgement made he; not a slight expression betrayed he;
But, as though facing lunacy, simply looked forth from the door-
Looked dispassionately at my face from his office door-
Looked, and stared, and nothing more.

Hearing rashness in my words, I found my accusation to be absurd.
Into softer tones I forced my voice, and addressed the manager of the store.
"I was thoughtless, sir, forgive me. In earnestness I beseech thee,
Save me, spare me, from the agony, agony only soothed by one game from your store;
Tell me, sir, whether there is a last copy, one last copy of Zelda 64!"
Quoth the manager, "there are no more."

No more?

Much I marvelled, man in suit and tie, to speak so blatantly a lie,
For in meek opinion of mine, his words little honesty bore.
And those behind me were agreed - or perhaps simply taking my lead -
That without their own Zelda they would not leave the store.
Surely the manager must be hiding, must be saving more!
Surely there must be more!

But the manager, clamly standing, clearly our rage not comprehending,
Showed no obvious signs of bending; a rather bored expression he wore.
No explanation did the manager provide, but a nearby employee he eyed.
The employee some enlightenment supplied, nervously looking at the floor,
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid we were allocated only two hundred carts per store."
Added the manager, "there are no more."

No more?

Denying that this reason alone deprived me of a Zelda to own,
I muttered, "what he uttered was only as they had trained him before.
Now, indeed, I see it clearly. And the explanation for his words, simply,
Was that he was told by that cold, unfeeling manager of the store,
And the manager was in turn ordered by someone higher in the store,
To say they don't have more."

And yet, some spirit of mine, unkind, spread endless fears throughout my mind;
I feared it was true - I would not find, nor ever find a Zelda in the store.
So I allowed my thoughts to wander, the veracity of his words to ponder;
My eyes I turned slowly yonder to inspect the manager in his door.
Perhaps truth, alas, was spoken by the manager of this store
In announcing, "there are no more."

Thus my mind turned to guessing, while the manager nothing expressing,
Nothing showing, nothing hinting, of the thoughts behind the blank face he wore.
In this moment filled with tension, my weak will turned its attention
To beauteous images of Zelda I had downloaded just days before.
Golden images of golden Zelda I had hoped to buy from the game store -
But, possibly, no more!

Then methought briefly Zelda music drifted, and briefly my spirit was lifted,
Only to be further broken when I saw 'twas but an advertisment from the store.
How I cursed my ears misleading which made me believe 'twas what I was needing.
Then, as though my thoughts reading, came a voice from the office door -
That incompassionate, expressionless voice from the office door -
Quoth the manager, "there are no more."

No more?

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! - prophet whether man or devil! -
Whether thine words are a superior's or yours, you know much about this store,
You know the secrets hidden therein, what inventory lies within.
Do forgive me for creating a din, and tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there any more Zelda? All I want is just one more!"
Quoth the manager, "there are no more."

No more?

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! - prophet whether man or devil!
Pour forth your knowledge, in the name of customer satisfaction I implore!
Tell this soul so full of yearning, a soul capable of lies discerning,
If it shall clasp a golden game not really named Zelda 64 -
Or when shall it clasp one from the next shipment of Zelda 64."
Quoth the manager, "there are no more."

No more?!

"Be that phrase our sign in parting, man or fiend," I shrieked, departing -
"Get thee back into thy office and hide there as before!
Leave no remark as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my hopeful spirit unbroken!" Here I marched out of the store.
And the cold voice of the manager chased me as I left the store -
Quoth the manager, "there are no more."

I called all stores in the nation, hoping for a deviation,
Hoping that, in all of creation, one would still have Zelda 64.
Now I've reached the sad conclusion, I bear no more my old delusion;
In its stead I bear the tragic news concerning the game I adore.
'Twas truth the manager had spoken - truth, cruel truth, regarding Zelda 64 -
There are no more!