I fell in love,

for a moment,

with the deli lady,

today.

Her long mahogany hair

wrapped tight in her net.

A fey, pearly white smile for me

when I ordered

Lacey Swiss – a pound-

and Tomato-Basil Ham, Boars Head – half pound.

She slow slices the swiss for sandwiches,

each slice a work of art.

And the ham!

Laid perfect on the paper.

She fashions a roll-up of the first slice

for me to sample,

though I am an old hand

with that ham….

Then back and forth

in her practiced rhythms.

Her eyes peek out from under her

Lowes baseball cap.

And she quick winks me

into an extra slice or three…

If I watch her for too long,

get too caught up in her

seductive methodology,

I’ll end up taking home two pounds

instead of half…

And now,

the long roll of meat pleasantly

diminished,

re-wrapped in plastic,

as she waits for her next,

soon to be satisfied customer,

I slow stroll to the dairy section

for Cashew Milk and an ice-cream pop

to suck on, home bound,

reminiscing about when I was young,

single,

frisky….

When I might have asked her to dinner….

Who knows?

A quick told love story

in a crowded super market.