the apple

the woman
in front of
you, at the
produce
department
is picking up
each apple
into her small
curled hand
studying it
then putting
it back.
you only want
one apple.
the red one,
fat and
shiny at the top
of the bin.
so you wait
and wait, until
she calls over
the store manager
to help her
get my apple
down. but you
yell, no, that
one's mine.
but she insists
that's the
one she wants.
that's the one
she's always
wanted. so you
bump her
out of the way
and grab it,
then run
through the store
down each aisle
the manager
chasing you,
the woman, with
her cane over
her head
cursing. you
throw a dollar
onto the floor
then begin to
bite wildly
into the apple
while you run
towards the front
door. you decide
you'll have
to come back
later to get
the other things
you needed.