SHOPPING

past the breath of consciousness and common sense past the counter and the yellow line they stand comparing watches, sunglasses and hats, posing, checking the curves at the mirror for show, and what shouldn’t, voicing opinions to the beat of groans and moans, becoming bored they file out laughing at nothing        

BEFORE THE MALLS

The Five & Dime, where parakeets are for sale and Coke’s are served at the counter with a warm sandwich or a bowl of soup. There’s costume jewelry reflecting a morning sun on busy shoppers carrying paper bags roaming the aisles looking for scarfs and socks where a dollar buys a dream and pennies have worth, … More BEFORE THE MALLS