the brussel sprout dilemma

you take a risk
by putting the trash out
early.
becky,
your neighbor
has her eyes on you.
she's in her bedroom
staring out
with her binoculars.
but they stink, these
bags of garbage that
sit in your kitchen.
you double
bag everything and
spray them
with bleach
to keep the raccoons
and squirrels,
foxes
and deer out of
the debris.
then you drag them
all to the curb
full of
stuffing and
turkey bones.
foil and wrappers.
disgusting soggy
food that you aren't
sure how you ever
ate any of it.
a brussel sprout
escapes
at one point, the pavement
causing a hole
in the bottom of a bag,
before long
brussel sprouts
are rolling all over
the parking
lot, from your
door, to the curb
to the fire hydrant
where the trash is
left for pick up. one
by one you go back and
quickly kick
each sprout
down the street before
becky comes out
with her camera.
you don't want to touoh
them. you don't
even like brussel
sprouts, they are
ridiculous vegetables.
you want to pick them up
and throw them at
becky's window, but
you don't. it is the
holiday season after all.