Harold And The Gent

"You pregnant?"
      Harold, the coffee guy,
Asks the gent before him
      Who just asked for his morning joe:
            "Decaf... black."

The gent laughs, scrunches his face, questioning.

      "Been doing this 29 years,"
Says Harold, friendly enough fellow,
      Graying mustasche, receding hairline,
Working his little coffee stand,
      Parking lot, Westfield station.

Surrounded by newspapers, magazines,
      Cigarettes, candy and coffee urns,
Harold explains:
      "Women come by here, day after day, year after year,
Suddenly the switch, they say,
      Decaf... black."

I say, "What, you pregnant?"
      They look in disbelief,
"How'd you know?"

The gent's laugh turns into a broad laugh,
      Going along with Harold, seeing his point.
Gent tells Harold, "You tell'em, 'It must be your glow.'"

Harold likes this guy, his kind of humor.
      They laugh again, the moment passes
Between Harold and the gent.

      Gent catches his train to New York.


For Conversations With Walt
Denis J. Kelly
May 14, 2011.