Merry Christmas, they said

Dec 24. 

Half hour to closing time. 

The setting sun crosses the produce section. 

My shopping cart full of turkeys and potatoes

Christmas-colored light bulbs, pies and tomatoes

okra, calamari, Ding Dongs and Ho Hos,

I celebrate; I am finished shopping. 

I kick the front of the cart, it spins 

in a perfect circle; I twirl likewise, 

bow to the fruit and vegetable stands, 

and snap my fingers over my head.

“Wow, what flair!” says someone behind me, with a little boy. 

“I used to be a bullfighter.” I say. The boy’s eyes pop. 

“I see!” says the woman. She holds a bottle of wine, 

bananas, bread, cold cuts, one Twinkie, and 

a Thomas the Tank Engine DVD 

in a basket in her hand. 

She says, “ … well, bye ... ”  and starts off, 

bus schedules in her other hand.  

I spin again, and say, “Wanna come over? To our house?”

The boy’s eyes pop again!