the snail joke

there's a knock

at the door,

i look down,

it's a small grey snail,

dragging himself

up the sidewalk

leaving a wet trail

behind him,

up the steps

he goes,

somehow knocking

on my door

with his shell.

i almost step on him

when i look out,

then pick him up

and throw him back

across the yard.

i look around, but see

no one.

i go back to bed.

a year later,

i hear a knock again.

it's the same snail.

he looks up at me

and says,

what was that all about?