Culture of Europe

"I need staples."
From the looks of him
I suspect a posterer
for the first time.
Little does he know
that concrete light posts
don't take staples
very well.
And he'll be hard pressed
to find a wooden hydro pole
except in the alley ways
and I wouldn't think posters there
would be getting much exposure.
I also suspect that he's a novice
because when I ask him what type of staples
he needs, he looks at me,
whips out his staple gun and says
"For this!"
Your staple gun should be engraved
with the staple type.
"T-20."
Another triumph.

Day Off - Notes

I moved.
I have notes.
I'm still writing.

Hospital Hustle

What she says:
"I'm in a rush, I'm parked illegally."
What I hear:
Please take extra time processing my purchase.

Voodoo Child

This man is swaying
as we discuss kitchen repairs
in the plumbing section.
Our first part of the repartee
covers replacement of the tap
which he seems to understand
with some uneasiness.
Fixing a hole in a marble counter top
is really the source of his woe.
"I was drunk, I put a can down on it and it broke."
I have to assume it was a paint can.
Full.
"I replaced it with a piece of plywood."
I slowly
and with the smallest words possible
explain how to correctly repair
a marble slab.
His swayvering subsides and he looks at me
he's certainly been around a lot of alcohol this morning
"They want $5000 for a new counter top."
Everything has a price tag.

Glad That's Over With

I am standing
adjacent to the cash desk.
I am watching my coworker
hoist twenty feet of carpet runner
onto his shoulder to do a car order.
The customer is heading out the door
determined and of single mind.
My compatriot hails him
and asks where he is parked.
"I don't know."
And it's a serious moment.

Day In, Day Out

I didn't deal with him
but I felt his air
as he was making for the door.
"This hardware store never heard of the 70's"
I'm sure I was alive then.
"They have no metric."

When you take apart
a piece of Ikea furniture,
tape the hardware to it.
Don't take it out on me
if you don't.

Store Closed - Some Notes

I don't own a watch.