shopping for a mattress

in a small chair

at a small desk in the back

of the long

narrow store

sits a fat man

who looks at me

when i

come through the door.

there are rows and rows

of mattresses

for sale.

i push down on one,

sit on

another.

the man comes forward,

adjusting his belt

and tells me to go ahead

and lie down.

that's our best seller.

plus it's

on sale.

i lie down and stretch

out,

i sink into the soft cushion

of it,

then fall asleep.

i have a dream about Angela.

when i wake up the man is

still standing there.

i think this is the one,

i tell him.