nearing the end

you make a list.
gas, electric, food
and
insurance.
all the monthly bills
in a column,
added up
to see what you could
survive on
if you quit working
and walked
to the lake everyday
to throw bread at the ducks.
you stare at your 401 k,
miscellaneous
savings
and investments.
how much
would social security bring
in?
medicare.
there's lots of loose
change in the blue bowl
on top of the refrigerator.
senior discounts on
pills
and movie tickets.
you could cut back
on coffee.
what about shoes, do you
have enough shoes
to get you through
the final
years. yes, you say
to yourself,
turning each pair over
to look at the soles.
got shoes.