Uneven plastic throne

Rocking like a pirate’s ship

Left slipper on

Right foot cold

Toes open to the world

Aged hands clasped shakily to one another

They are penguins in a blizzard

Eyelids become broken windows

Creaking into gloom

Caffeine fueled laughter

Policemen artificially awake at dawn

I near unconsciousness

Like a patient slowly surrendering to anesthesia

The foul scented remains of a man approaches

In rags caked with sorrow

A look of loneliness fills his eyes

For a moment I wonder if he will attack me

If I am exposed as an opportunity for an outlet for his misery

In a moment of realization

A man in uniform hurries over

And assists him to a chair too close to me

He sits slumped in his seat

His body crashes onto the chair

Like waves on a shore

He picks up a stapler when the officer turns his head

And hurls it in my direction

I duck

Remember why I am here

Right arm aches to throw a pen at him

Anger exploding within sadness

But it is not his fault

Escape is crucial

Head for the door

Must leave

I am a doctor

I think

An Orthodontist

Work on Monday

Work on Monday

No no

No work on Monday

Outside the morning wind whips at my silk sleeping garments

Abruptly frigid

Like I opened the fridge too quickly

Trip down the beige concrete steps

Difficult to run without a shoe

One slipper

The other always missing

Something always missing