what if they notice the stains on my right jacket pocket?
what if they ask me why they’re there?
then you’ll tell them the truth.
i was heating chocolate to make icing for a cheesecake and
i set the heat too high and
the fat separated from the chocolate and
some of it splashed and—
that isn’t so hard.
yes, but what if they ask me if i like to bake?
what if they ask me what kind of cheesecake?
what if they think i’m stupid for heating it too high?
or for spilling it?
what if they laugh?
then laugh with them.
what if my laugh is strange?
it is.
what if they laugh at my laugh?
then leave!
what if the candy bar gets stuck in the vending machine?
what if my arm gets stuck in the vending machine?
what if they have to amputate?
what if they surgery goes horribly wrong?
what if the anesthesiologist is drunk and sets the nitrous level too high?
what if it gets infected and i die of sepsis?
what if—
and then i just sit there, poor and hungry.
who knew dropping a quarter could be so fatal.