Candy by Wayne F. Burke

A fat girl standing in the
doorway of WALLREEN'S
"can you buy me something?
I have not eaten all day."
She follows me inside
tells me her name, "Jen."
"What's yours?"
"Wayne."
"Duane?"
"Yeah, Duane."
In the candy aisle she plucks a bag of
peanut butter M&M's off a shelf, on
sale 2 FOR 8 DOLLARS.
"Can I have two?"
"Sure."
She scoots down the aisle
and around the corner.
Returns with a pint of
ice cream. On our way to
check-out I notice she has three bags
candy and I tell her
put one back.
At check-out she has something
to say to everyone:
asks a woman why she, the 
woman, is buying so many
diapers. Compliments another
on her attire. At the register
she introduces me to the
cashier: "This is Duane, he
is helping me. I have not eaten
all day." The cashier has polished
and buffed nails; she and Jen
have a lot to say to one
another about fingernails.
Finally, I get to pay.
Outside the store she calls
"thank you" and
I grunt in response, not
begrudging her the food, but
hoping she does not make
a habit of asking.

Wayne F. Burke's poetry has been widely published online and in print (including in the DOPE FIEND DAILY). He is the author of 8 published full-length poetry collections, most recently BLACK SUMMER, Spartan Press, 2021. He lives in Croutonville,Vermont.