Deer in The Headlights

"Hate to bother you during your

meal guy but, could spare a brother

a dollar? I'm hungry, haven't eaten

yet today."

and just like that i suddenly became

aware of the bubble that has encapuslated me

since i left the womb,

maybe even before that

my eyes began to pick up iridescent patterns

in the air

and in my mouth there was a soapy, sanitary 

taste.

i reached my trembling hand into my backpocket

and dug out a some spare change left over

from paying tolls and gave it to him

"that's a fly shirt, where'd you get it?"

(weakly) "the salvation army, five bucks."

"no s**t, a thrift? thats a score right there."

(defeated) "yeah, i guess it was"

he went back to his table, pulled out his wallet

thick with greenbacks, from a long day of

hustling

and began to count each individual dollar

slowly and meticiously while eyeing me,

smiling

maybe even thinking to himself

"man, he sure looks like a deer in the headlights"

the man from the bubble just paid tribute to

the king of germs,

i was in his kingdom now.