Day Four Theme: Fashion

PORTLAND PIZZA JOINT

The hipster in the Misfits tee shirt

wears a ski cap over his head

like Elliott Smith,

although he is bald.

He pushes a slice to the back of the oven

in the trendy pizza restaurant

and I notice that everyone has tattoos,

it must be a job requirement, or something.

I imagine the conversations they might

have after job interviews that don't go well--

all of them whispering to each other:

“Did you see that dude?”

“His shoes were so LAME.

“I bet he listens to Justin Bieber.”

To work in this place,

you must be aggressive,

yet speak in a slurred whisper

as if the act of speaking was ridiculous,

stalk around in ankle-high thrift store boots,

and stay up for hours after work

drinking Pabst and smoking organic cigarettes,

which just sounds exhausting to me.

I'm happy with a slice and a pint

and my son beside me, grinning

while he checks out the waitress' ass.