*

*

talking to the Mad Hatter

who’s wearing a backward baseball cap

and headphones

peering into the empty, locked car

who says, “Don’t make me a third.”

meaning the guy he sees in the reflection

himself

is…who? Come inside. Please.

“Go away,” he says.

“Leave me alone.”

*

being a Dalit

who cleans toilets

with bleach water

several times a day

knowing that put the seat up first

or

stand closer

if understood,

won’t be remembered

*

Hand him the tissue

say, wipe your butt

to the blank stare

Your ass! Wipe your ass!

Sometimes he does

sometimes doesn’t

left to me to clean up

two-hundred-pound baby