The fire in the car park
was a warning
Tuesday morning
Jaqui is called
to the wood panelled office
above Meat and Dairy
The manager's chainsaw voice
hangs above the aisles
and most of us look
at our shoes
straighten the stock
To be fair, she is new
she didn't know, and
the note stuck on the register's
a little faded now
When any of the Rose* boys
come to the store
you open a line
you let them in first
they buy what they want
and you certainly don't
charge them
not a dollar
not a cent
and you say good to see you
have a nice day
please come again
There are fewer tears
than expected
Her keys end up in Biscuits
and the apron finds a snag
up in the lights
And the fire in her belly
is a warning
© Brendan Bonsack
April 2016