Grocery Store Man

(December 31,2021)

I first noticed your energy and spirit. You were a personable human, no doubt. Asking me about my day, smiling during the whole bit. And when I asked if your grocery-store-day was busy, you raised your eyebrows, and then your eyes, and dared me to look into them and judge what I thought based on how crazed they were. We both laughed, and you carried on with your bagging.

You had pink hair, and when I looked into your eyes, I noticed your eyebrows were shaved a bit back and purposely thinned out and plucked in odd places. I wondered if it was style that made you take that choice, a desire to be different, or maybe it was nervous habit, or a moment of panic that you had the night before when you were alone. I did not know. But it made me care about you all the more. 

We all are alone at times. It’s never an if but a when. And I wondered who you were when you were alone. Were you as spirited and enthusiastic? Or were you lonely, scared, sad? We put on fronts with people, but we all look quite the same when we’re by ourselves and quiet. When it’s just us and our thoughts. 

Whoever you are, grocery store man, I wondered who you were when no one was watching, when you weren’t commenting on my nail polish and putting on an energetic show of care and interest. Know that I am quite similar to you when I’m all alone, though we might seem quite different at a party. You silently making a meal, sitting on your bed, watching your favorite show at night, reading a book, scrolling on your phone, doesn’t look much different from me when I’m silently making a meal, sitting on my bed, watching my favorite show, reading a book, and scrolling on my phone.

Know that though you may be alone at times, you have a person or two thinking about you when you’re alone, so you’re not quite alone after all, are you? And I guess I’m not either.