poem of the day 12.11.12

new friends

i enter the shoe store

and this clerk is on me like flies on shit

before i even have a chance to look around

tis the season, i say to my wife

the salesclerk asks me my name

i have no clue why he does this

it’s a simple transaction

we need not exchange names

but i give it to him anyway

then it’s like we’re new friends

discussing black boots

it’s john this, and john that

he’s using my name so much

it’s like a mantra to him

it’s like this salesclerk

is some kind of scientologist

he tells me to call him geoffrey, so i do

do you have these in black, geoffrey?

do you have 10 ½, geoffrey?

whatever gets me out of this store

in under one-hundred bucks

i think it’s stupid that we’re

talking to each other like this

like i’ll be back the next day

for a cup of coffee or a burger at mcdonald’s

just john and geoffrey, BFFs infinite

i don’t like all of this familiarity

during a retail transaction

it’s unjustified and unrefined

for two guys living in such a capitalist state

john, how does that one fit?

john, have you thought about getting

those in dark brown?

john, how about them giants?

all the way this season, geoffrey

there’s a time and a place for such pleasantries

buying shoes isn’t one of them

but i choose the black boots anyway

even though the right foot is a little tight

geoffrey tells me that i chose wisely

although he gets a little bit pushy

trying to get me to add on extra laces and socks

he frowns when i say

just the boots today, geoff

but i’m not surprised at his response

because we’ve become so predictable to each other already

geoffrey is always trying to give

and me, john, i’m so goddamned stingy all of the time

geoffrey hands me my bag

presses the receipt into my palm

you take care now, john,

he says so very very cold

like he’s not even looking at me anymore

like i’m just one in a long line of others

geoffrey is on to the next new friend, brian

who just walked into the shoe store

with his bitch girlfriend, elaine,

who won’t shut up about pink chuck taylor high-tops

and how goddamned hot the store is