A Not Too Pleasant Memory

 

 

I gazed at him with intent

And a memory surged within me,

Not at all a pleasant one

As you will very soon see.

 

He turned and looked at me

But our eyes never made four,

Before I could get a facial view

In a flash he was out the door.

 

I spontaneously followed him

Before I had done my shopping

But though I called out to him

I could see he was not stopping.

 

 

 

I returned to the grocery cart

And hurried to the cashier,

If I only I could get dispatched

I would be quickly out of there.

 

I did achieve that purpose

But it was still in vain

For the speed at which he left

Was like a run away train.

 

I carefully looked around

But he was nowhere in sight,

I knew I would not find him

Even if I search all night.

 

I had forgotten the experience

It was so long ago,

But at the time it happened

It was an emotional blow.

 

Someone walked up to me

His face had looked quite sad,

He shared with me a while

And things appeared quite bad.

 

His story was so heart rending

How could I not respond?

I felt relieved within my heart

I had helped another one. 

It was only after he had left

I found out I was ripped off,

And when I called out to him

He merely looked back and scoffed.

 

My informant had the experience

Of being conned that day

But got to me a little late

So I, too, became his prey.

 

I had become a victim

No doubt, one of several that day,

If the warning had come sooner

I would have kept him at bay.

 

It must have been him

And, perhaps he remembered me

For as I looked in his direction,

He thought it best to flee.

 

 

I cannot be fully sure

But still a caution I will leave,

Be careful with these villains

Else, like me, you will grieve.

 

Stewart Russell © August 2019