retirement funds

so, the financial
advisor says,
spreading out his
actuary charts
and graphs
onto your dining room
table. so, he repeats,
pulling on his
cheap blue tie
with an American
flag on his lapel,
sweat beading on
his pink forehead.
so, if you live to
95, which is not
out of the question
these days, since
you don't smoke
and I see that you are
in fabulous shape,
you will need approximately
twenty million dollars
saved up in your
savings account, or
stock portfolio
to live the same
life that you do
now. so, if I may ask,
how much do you have
now. how much do you have
put away for those
golden days. he smiles,
showing a nice
set of polished
crowns. well, you say,
pulling on a thread
from your shirt,
less than that, a
little less than that,
you tell him, then reach
for the peanut butter
jar in the cabinet.
i'm cutting back though,
this is dinner.
you hold up the jar
for him to see, it's not
even crunchy,
so it may be more
before then?