On the curb in front of a downtown grocery store
Thomas hunches in his rocking back-and-forth state,
having forgotten that a plastic bag taped around his right lower leg
is not ordinary.
As passers-by crinkle their noses and pull their shirt collars over their noses,
they sneer as if the stench of schizophrenia, homelessness,
diabetes, and hearing loss could never happen to them.
Someone calls 911 to remove the nuisance.
At the county hospital the doctors irrigate his leg with
saline and meticulously count hundreds of maggots
swarming in the rotting meat of his leg.
At the end of the day he politely thanks the nurse
for a cup of coffee.
Amidst the swarm of suits and microphones,
The camera bounces off Kevin�s diamond earrings.
From behind the long table
this hero to thousands of boys with hoops in their eyes
and men with money to bet
declares that his SUVs and his designer wardrobe
will stay in Minnesota.
�The future of the team looks good,� he says.
He smiles as he fingers the gold chain around his neck
and accepts his contract for millions.
10/03
