the lunch box

in the third grade
the lunchbox was
plaid, red and white
green squares
with wavy dizzing
stripes. there was
a thermos inside
with milk, just
slightly cold. then
the tuna sandwich
neatly wrapped
in saran wrap,
a small bag of
potato chips,
two oreo cookies,
an apple. who wants
an apple? it was
very hard to trade
up with a tuna
sandwich on white
bread with onions
and mayo. just once
you wanted to open
that steel box
and pull out a ham
on rye with brown
mustard. a brownie
and an ice cold
nehi orange soda,
or a budweiser.