The little old Asian man in the hardware department
has a hook for a hand, one that blunts at the end.
It is not impressive at all.
He loves his hook and uses it to slide
merchandise forward. Always moving forward.
Then he walks, walks with a certain
patterned stagger. Sometimes he talks to himself.
Sometimes he talks to you.

The paintbrushes hang on their pegs like bats.
His hook instills fear into them. Calming them,
making them settle down. The spray-paint
is troublesome, slipping past the hook
like so many ticklish cans and colors.
Especially hunter green. He’s the worst.
And all the nails, all the screws
in his department look beautiful.

The other employees have noticed his behavior.
In jealous fits they pull pegs from the displays.
They make their own hooks. They all hobble about in grunts
pulling candy closer to them, dragging plastic worms
through the fishing aisles. They talk less, drink more gin.
The customers have yet to notice a thing.