the lamp repair

he bends over the wooden

table

glasses perched at the end of his nose.

i can't place

the accent,  maybe german,

but he speaks clearly

as he takes the lamp apart, 

holding the curved

waist of the jar with one

hand. he looks

for the loose wire,

the thin metals that may

have broken from too many

turns on, or off.

i can fix this for you, he says,

looking up. no problem.

then he gives me a ticket

and a price.

i can fix, he says. will

after the holiday, be alright?