Stories I tell myself
are that life is
happy
beautiful
full of hope
& laughter
& many great tomorrows.

Then I see the
frail pale old man
in shabby wear
in the corner
of Delifrance
in Ngee Ann City
reading The Straits Times
from cover to
cover and then back again
aloud.
I know the stories
he tells himself
are completely
different
from mine.