when I did roofing work
I would occasionally have
to work out of town
this time it was Lafayette Louisiana
on my first night there
I left the job site and
headed to my hotel
I had to stop and get
some groceries and whiskey
trying to turn left into the store
from the turning lane was proving
to be an impossible feat
traffic kept coming
like a never ending metallic snake
I was getting extremely agitated
my blood pressure rising by the second
after approximately 10 minutes
I was finally able to turn
once in the store I bought
the few items I needed
and went to check out
when I finally was face to face
with the cute black cashier
I recalled a news story and said to her
“I heard that Lafayette was voted
the happiest city in America”
she smiled proudly
beaming from ear to ear and said
“yes, yes we were”
with a stone-like grimace and scowl
I looked into her eyes and said
“I really don’t see how with
all this goddamned traffic”
I left her in a deflated state
reeling from my contempt
later in my room
I laid in the bed
sipping whiskey from a
plastic hotel cup
and smiled
Gloomy Forebodings 