He stands next to me in the grocery aisle
A migrant from who-knows-where.
He's just like me, I suppose
An unknown guest
A visitor, with a scarcely-filled cart.
Perhaps I'd pay him no mind at all
If he didn't stand close enough to me
To at least be an acquaintance.
He lingers at my side
Too comfortable to be considered a newcomer.
I shuffle away, bag of flour in hand
Ensure that he is but a sojourner.
Later, though
He finds me in the checkout line
Eyes mysterious
Lips telling.
"Need any help with those bags?"
Brain frozen in discomfort, I shrug.
"Sure."
So we walk to the car
His hands on my bags
Mine on my keys
As we venture across the parking lot.
I pop the trunk
Wondering how I'd feel
If I had been helped by a female instead.
Still, I help this man
Try not to misjudge
As we silently put away my finds.
In my mind, however
I continue to evaluate and second guess
Not for the first time, I wonder:
"Is this kindly stranger friend or foe?"
Oct 18, 2018
Oct 18, 2018 at 10:35 PM UTC
He stands next to me in the grocery aisle
A migrant from who-knows-where.
He's just like me, I suppose
An unknown guest
A visitor, with a scarcely-filled cart.
Perhaps I'd pay him no mind at all
If he didn't stand close enough to me
To at least be an acquaintance.
He lingers at my side
Too comfortable to be considered a newcomer.
I shuffle away, bag of flour in hand
Ensure that he is but a sojourner.
Later, though
He finds me in the checkout line
Eyes mysterious
Lips telling.
"Need any help with those bags?"
Brain frozen in discomfort, I shrug.
"Sure."
So we walk to the car
His hands on my bags
Mine on my keys
As we venture across the parking lot.
I pop the trunk
Wondering how I'd feel
If I had been helped by a female instead.
Still, I help this man
Try not to misjudge
As we silently put away my finds.
In my mind, however
I continue to evaluate and second guess
Not for the first time, I wonder:
"Is this kindly stranger friend or foe?"
