out the door price

the car salesman

calls

excitedly,

we have your car, he says.

come on in.

we're waiting for you.

my spider

sense begins to tingle

when i ask

him what the new

out the door price is.

tags, title, taxes

and whatever.

pretend you're selling

a rib eye steak,

i tell him.

tell me what the price is

before i put it in

the cart

and head to check out.

i don't have that paper

work in front of me,

he tells me.

but good news, great

news.

at last we have the car

you've been waiting for.

we're so happy

for you.

i don't pop the champagne

just yet.

i say a little prayer

and head over.