sales weasels

the salesman
uses his trick
of dropping his pen
into
the lap of the old
man
or woman,
wavering on whether
or not
to sign on the dotted
line
for windows,
a car,
a new slab of
vinyl siding on
their house,
or a time share
closer to ohio
than
france.
sometimes it works.
the pen
feeling nice
in the curled
palm, and they
sign, but other
times they take it
and
like a knife
and jab it
into the salesman's
hand.