AN: Inspired by a regular customer that shops at my Walgreens. He has an oxygen tank but still buys cigarettes. :(

The plaid shirt leans forward

One yellow pencil slides out

Hitting the counter, breaking the silence

A face laced with tubing

Emitting antiseptic breaths

Only a small weight to drag along

His handwriting is stilted

His lips are smiling

Caught up in the past

The exchange is over

He’s one paper lighter

I’m five minutes older

Will either of us see tomorrow?