very very short stories from the toy store: two boys and bundles of joy

here is the first story

two boys

one three
the other 2
adding in total years to five

with crisp fives
one a piece
in each of their hands
five fingers holding


because they have been very good boys
a chance to spend and purchase
a special little something

i direct them to the playmobile

'do you have any romans'
'sure here is a roman'
'that isn't a roman'

he's right
what the heck was i thinking

i try again

'ah here is a good roman'

this time i get it right almost

'do you have any bad romans?'


next story,

a report on babies
i see lots in the store
every one a winner
a ringer, a blue ribbon baby
beautiful perfect
open or shy

true

and then i ponder
about the bigger customers
the older ones,
the workers,
myself included

all of us started as these perfect true bundles
but now so much more complex
and floundering

and i think how did we all go from that to this?