please sign our petition

you spot them
from afar, between
you and the coffee
shop is a swarm
of do gooders
patrolling the sidewalks.
they are
a hive of waspy
young people in
yellow shirts and
hats with clipboards,
armed with righteousness
and a few years
of misguided higher
education.
they are energized.
there is a buzz about
them.
it's about the water,
the climate,
baby squirrels, an
innocent insect
has lost his way,
or something
that needs to be
saved that you haven't
thought of
because you've been
too busy working.
but you need
your morning cup
of coffee, so you
play dumb, deaf.
you pull your shirt
out and screw a
puzzled look on
your face. you
let a little drool
curl out from
the corner of your
mouth. you blink
your eyes like
morse code.
this makes
them back off
and smile, pat you
on the pack. they allow
you to go on your way
without signing
their petitions.
you get your
morning coffee,
then slip out the back
door.