inspired by the news
and lack of law enforcement,
i call my friend Betty
and tell her,
let's go shopping.
but my social security check
hasn't come yet, she says
i laugh, forget about that.
i'll pick you up
in ten minutes.
so we put
on our hoodies,
our covid masks,
grab a hammer or two
and set out
to the local mall in my van.
Betty calls up her
knitting club
and face yoga class to join us,
advising them
on what to wear.
sketchers will help
you keep your balance
when it's time to skedaddle,
or ortho shoes.
her friend Sally wants to
go too,
but she's in a wheelchair
and can't roll away
fast enough once
the smash and grab begins.
she requests some canned cat
food for her cats
and a bottle of witch hazel,
whatever that is.
we start off at the vitamin
store,
stuffing ginkgo bilboa and saw palmetto
into our jackets.
sleeping pills
and ex-lax.
someone grabs a case of Ensure.
we work our way over
to the heating
pads,
and Depends.
i wipe the shelf clean of hearing
aids,
and wrinkle cream,
then grab a box of Tums,
and a new magnifying glass.
Betty gets a case
of prune juice.
then we limp out of there
before the po po comes.
