THE PUSHER MAN
he’s an old-ish bloke
and a bit scrubby
looks like he needs a shave and a haircut
but probably always does
even after having a shave and a haircut
they arrive together at the lights
she on her morning walk
him at the handles of a baby pusher
and they wait
just the two of them
the baby pusher is empty
except for a well-worn towel
and she casts an eye, a glance, curious
can’t help herself, has to ask
but smiling
you haven’t lost a baby somewhere...?
but he doesn’t smile back
not one of those people like her
who seek out the ridiculous
craft it into a laugh between strangers
I use ta havva dog he says
but the dog died
so I got a cat
but the cat buggered off
so now it’s me walking frame
cos me legs are stuffed
but still doesn’t smile
because...
because life is serious
and the button beeps and the lights change
and he shuffles off
she sees him in the arcade
steering his baby-less dog-less cat-less pusher
into the bottle shop
humps a slab of beer
into that baby-less and dog-less and cat-less space
and throws the towel over it
like it’s some sort of private men’s business
and heads back out the way he came
passes her with eyes somewhere else
on purpose
T.R.E. 2020
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>