To the old man buying oranges,
          We have never spoken,
                    But I owe you my thanks.
You wandered into the store,
          Locking onto the produce section,
                    You demand the honor your age grants.
Carefully you inspect the fruit one by one,
          Examining every dimple, checking every rind,
                    Scouring for flaws in your beloved items.
Placing the chosen few in your basket,
          You set out for the lines,
                    And ****** yourself into my spot.

Because of your age, I do not object.
You transfer your citrus treasures to the belt,
          Locking them in place, between the dividers.
You glance back at me with a scornful expression,
          I look away feeling guilty, for what I didn't know.
You release from your wallet only what is required,
          And quickly bury it back out of sight.
You hand over your money sourly.
Latching onto your bag of chosen keepsakes,
          You march out the door glaring at the ground.

I pay for my items and head out as well.
As I exit the store I see it in an instant,
          Your tiny frail body tumbling through the air,
                    Landing onto the car that almost missed you,
                              But sadly it did not.
The crowd rushes toward you, lying there quietly.
          It all happened so fast.
I watch as your oranges flee from their bag,
          Rushing away from the tragedy that freed them,
                    Tumbling quickly away with your life.


To the old man buying oranges,
          We have never spoken,
                    But I owe you my thanks,
                              For taking my place in line.