One Hour Cleaners by Michael Goodin
after going number 1
and finding a strange dent on my face
while washing my hands
I walked into the restaurant
then placed my order
without looking at her
give me the number 4 without cheese
and that’ll be 4.99
and as I looked at her for the first time
she said you are order number 1
which was good
being one time where I didn’t have to put myself first
and after taking my 10 5 and 1 penny
I waited for my order
and as I heard the tv above my head say the weather in flagstaff
I didn’t have to listen anymore to know it’s cold there
a kind of numb that makes one go brrr
and as she walked across the restaurant
in a one of a kind way
back to her register
I heard her call out number 1
and I knew I was at the beginning again
of a game
I’ve never won
I think this may be one of the more recent poems from the Flagstaff Missed Connections writer. Maybe it’s from a little over a year ago? I’m so glad I saved these when I found them – it makes me happy to rediscover them a second time.
