page two: rejection

I've never wondered, he said
why people used to think
that flying was magic. You ever see
a turkey vulture fly, kid
he asked as he turned his head
to me. I mean they fly
around in circles on air
currents, just floating
really and they just float on up
without really even flapping
their wings much he said
as he flicked the ash
from the end of his cigarette.
I don't even know, he said
why I come here I mean
they have good coffee
but the food here, kid, I
just don't know.

I had this friend once he said
and he would pull up grass
and other leaves
and he would tear
them down the middle
and he just loved
all the different sounds he could get.
He said the best let out a little
scream. You ever know a guy
like that? It was like God himself
had planted a whole orchestra under the ground
you know? Good guy, though he reassured
me as he drank down the bottom
of his mug. He said you
should talk more, kid. Anyway
he said as he stretched his arms,
his legs and crushed the smoldering
filter—maybe I'll see you
later.