today,
in manhatten
i let a guy on drugs cut in front of me
at the checkout
he asked nicely;
i found him endearing

i had never seen someone so earnestly and sweetly
try to contain how strung out he was
and i don't think i'd ever seen someone
so strung out
the cashier looked him up and down,
but he just turned back at me,
and smiled

thanks for being so nice,


you have green eyes

he smiled sweetly,
and turned back

i froze;
i felt sick —
he had seen me
and some people take weeks,
months,
years,
to notice

and he took his change & left