Day Twenty Five

You’ve been there, right? You go to the theatre or get on an airplane…something where you are seated next to a strange man. He never seems uncomfortable, but you are smushed as close in as you can be. Why? You know why…I know why…he almost certainly knows why. I suspect he usually doesn’t care.

MAN SPREADING

 You ask me why
I sit scrunched up.
My face looks tight
Because I am wrapped
Into a ball.

You ask me why
I don’t make myself comfortable
Why I must be all tense
All the time
Tense and uncomfortable.

You ask me why
But you never bother
To look at your legs
At your arms
Taking up all the room.

Your legs
Spread apart
Taking up the space
Where my legs could
Be comfortable.

Your arms
On both of the armrests
Yours and mine
So mine have nowhere
For them to go.

You ask me why
Then you fall asleep
Headphones on your ears
Until the plane lands.
I thank the stars I will never see you again.