keep your distance

you hate taking
the bus
or the subway
and having people
fall asleep
against your shoulder,
drooling.
it's not that
you don't like
people, you just
don't like being
stuck in tight
places with
them, with no way
out. they talk
and make noises.
they smell badly
sometimes.
elevators
are difficult.
the stops and starts.
more get on
as some get off.
the sneezing
and coughing.
the shuffling
of feet for an inch
of space.
touching the buttons
that they just
touched.
you could never
be an astronaut.
it would be too
difficult, especially
the bathroom
part of the trip.
the snoring.
but you like people,
you really do.
just from a distance
though, of
at least ten feet.