The Girl Who Works at the Health Food Store by Laura Stamps

What
to wear, what to wear? That’s the question.
Yes, it’s one of those mornings. What’s
in my closet? Not much. Forgot the laundry
this week. What to choose, what to choose?
Why not a camouflage halter top and miniskirt?
So far so good. Olive green tights, black ankle
boots, and I’m
done.
Now I’m as green as a romaine leaf or a stalk
of celery. Tasty! Yes, I’m vegan. Me. I grab
my bag and keys and reach for the door, but
something’s tickling my back. Looks like
the satin tags on my bra escaped the halter
top. With every move I make they flap
like tiny flags in a spring
breeze.
Interesting! Too bad my manager won’t agree.
She reminds me of my mother, always asking
questions I can’t answer. Too many questions.
What am I going to do with my life? When
will I finish college? Do I have goals, do I
have plans? When, what, when? I don’t
know!
The future’s a waste of time. What’s the point?
Nothing is normal anymore. Nothing feels
the same. Never again, never again. That’s
reality. My reality. Forget the future. Isn’t
it enough to be alive? That should count for
something.
Fishing my cell phone out of my bag, I twist
my body like a pretzel, find the best angle
for these bra tags, and snap a selfie for
Instagram. My friends will love it. Or not.
Who cares, who cares, who
cares?
Today I’m as green as a romaine leaf or
a stalk of celery. Today I’m on time for
work. And that’s good enough for me.
Laura Stamps is the author of several poetry books, chapbooks, and novels-in-verse.Her book THE YEAR OF THE CAT (Artemesia Publishing) won the Muses Prize and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize (2005).She is also the recipient of 7 Pushcart Prize nominations. You can find her every day on Twitter @LauraStamps16.