Late in the booth with all that traffic
Couldn't be a date I was listening to late in the booth with all
that traffic going by
"Life is hard so there must be a heaven, life is hard so we
must be in purgatory or something, ha ha"
Then he compliments her says what I can't hear but then says -
he much younger than what she looked like even though he paid for
her sandwich and later she gave him a ride home - she's not
going to go to hell
"Thank you. You're so nice. I just try to help people with
life's struggles like with friends of mine who live together and
I really think, well, living that close, there's bound to be disagreements"
He murmurs yes and from what I can tell with my back to them and
only their voices over the booth besides what I saw walking in,
he's Asian and hasn't been here long
maybe she's an evangelist taking him out for sandwiches late and
that's why she's so humble yet talking about God in that voice,
maybe he'll think she's cool in the way americans think that people
from other cultures think americans are cool, taking him out late
like that
or really he's going home with her and they do know each other well
they were just pretending for mine and the waitresses' benefit to
pose as evangelist and soul in a diner near all that traffic and
the buses so people wouldn't think about why he's with a woman like
that or she's with a man like that, that we'll all think she's trying
to save his soul and he's trying to get one
or they just met at work and he's being bewildered and she's being
nice knowing that he doesn't know anyone and she never, never does
this, go out late on a weeknight to a diner near all that traffic
with men and talk about God and relationships and eat sandwiches
and lean over when the waitress goes by and ask him to repeat what
he said.
around, missionarying
City summer, walking
and you said
not that I'm for
or against them
but it's comforting to me
to see the Mormons
around, missionarying
in their suits
especially when it's this hot
Yes, I replied,
I don't know why
but a sweating city
doesn't seem a city
without them
and you said
(looking up
to tops of buildings)
something about the need
for a need of God -
They must be
No, I'm not
saying
they don't have cities
only that
they must be
baffled
by ours
as you said once
walking to the bus stop talking about your ex
"I am baffled
by this city"
All
I'm saying
is how like I told you
she asked me to show her
how to operate the coin laundry
in the basement
they have those beautiful
american
curtains
and
what they must think
of the billboards
they
must be
baffled
so many many coin slots
for all of it
dials and buttons
no,
I am not saying
they don't have technology
or buses
there as don't
the tribe you told me
about visiting
we
walking concrete /
asphalt / traffic light footed.
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