SHOP TALK

Hit and miss in the rain
A stain down the windowpane
And that -
That you -
Stood there in the doorway
Smirking in your own refrain outside the shop
Where the street is wet
And I cannot forget every moment of
'Something ... something ....'
[INSERT COMMERCIAL METAPHOR HERE]
Or whatever
Rain in my door
Is better than a customer never
Wipe
Wipe
Wipe
The stain on the jewelry
Huh!
Huh!
Huh!
I breathe on the semi-precious stones
What's that song?
Oh
It's from next door
The next door frame
The next in-out, in-out,
Open-closed-on-Sundays-and-bank-holidays
And
Sorry-for-the-inconvenience
And
In-and-out-trays
Ways walk past and disappear
Like shadows down the street
In stones and paving slabs
And 9 to 5 and Dolly Parton and the memory of her massive bosoms blow
How can't you love Dolly?
Memory
A memory on sideways like a
'Something ... something ... incongruous Beck metaphor'
[INSERT HERE]
'Rain with eyes and cat's whiskers backwards as the sun sets on my alligator pants'
Or floor with
Drip
Drip
Drip
Drip marks across its wooden stain
Light splattering through windowpanes
And random
Whatevers.
It's your job
Stood there still in the door
Behind the counter, mate
Make tea and coffee
Breaks a deal breaker favor five or ten minutes later
Waiter! Waiter!
Call Table 9 back out into the rain
Call a taxi, a bus, or a Train-to-London Train
Call me out the door
Call me what you think's my name
Quietly.