tuesday morning
sky gray
air still biting
pink-cheeked women
and men
scuffle
across the sidewalk in front of my house
heads down
chins to chests
scarves tightly wrapped
feet brisk
calculated
like they are searching for an "in" door
in an "out" town
or something enough like home
to invite them in
i wonder why they are outside
on a day like today,
a day the forces hurry
and stifles any friendly recognition
that might pass between two people,
i wonder why they aren't driving
or being driven
to where ever it is they are going
i invent lives for them,
these ridgid almost strangers,
and every-day excuses:
he had a flat tire or lost his keys
she had a fight with her girlfriend
or knew there would be no parking
they don't believe in cars
or thought it'd be nice to get some exercise
i dramatize each situation
paint it like a sitcom
one-dimensional and easily resolved
over-flowing with a diversity of characters
friends
family
lovers
i save all the witty one-liners
for myself
living vicariously
through my tuesday morning friends