route 66 gas station


the gas attendant
doesn’t say very much
in fact, he says nothing at all
grunts when I give him the money
then stands outside and watches us
silently, while the dust blows by
makes me wonder what life is like
here in the middle of nowhere
always watching others
pull up, fill up, pay, drive away
going from one place to another
with dreams or duties in different cars
callings of different kinds
going from one place to another
and never staying here

Robert Fritz