/

I’ll Have a Number Five

It seemed unreasonable on such short notice
but with the final coat of paint applied,
we began traipsing through in plastic bags,
recording our impressions on Post-its.

Trees bemoaned their losses as an afterthought.
We raised our glasses in dismay and let the cat out of the bag.
He bolted for the door, and hasn’t been heard from since.
Someone’s bridge partner was caught in the act.

I was miffed, but decided not to make a stink.
Who wants to be a fish out of water,
especially at night
when cats roam the streets with unfettered pizzazz?

I must admit, though, it is a far cry from the run of the mill:
the parquet flooring
the foundation as good a start as any
the walk-in water closets.

Having a backhoe at one’s beck and call helps, I suppose.
But there’s always something, yes?
The other day, for example, during a commercial break,
I ordered a number five without onions, and got them.

Number 5  by Jasper Johns