Keep the Receipt

Milk.

Coffee.

Batteries.

Two lemons.

A birthday candle.

That’s all.

Tuesday evening

corner store

Rain on my sleeve

coins on the floor

Bread for tomorrow

soap for the sink

Something I needed

something I didn’t

Item

price

item

price

Everything fits

on a little

white line

Keep the receipt

For thirty days

or maybe longer

Coffee

flowers

something stronger

Keep the receipt

Proof that I was here buying ordinary things

on an ordinary year

One

ninety-nine

four

twenty-five Scan

beep

next in line

A bottle of water

a cheap magazine

A charger I’ll lose

before next week

One frozen dinner

one packet of gum

A candle for someone

who never came

Item

price

item

price

Funny

how a life

can look so organized

Do you need a bag?

No.

Receipt?

Yeah.

Actually, yes.

receipt

receipt keep it keep it Keep the receipt

Not for the money

not for returning

Just for the date and the ink slowly fading

Keep the receipt

One small

paper trail

Milk

coffee

batteries

and one thing I

forgot

Thank you.

Have a good night.