From my office window, I can observe
My Greengrocer neighbor begin each day;
Ritual unchanging, he throws up the shutter to his shop
And sweeps the night’s refuse away from the walk.
Keenly aware that customers rely on his selection and
Trust in his attention to their wants,
He stocks an abundance of the freshest fruits and produce,
Arrayed by type and color
To attract and please the eye,
Yet always to provide the quality his patrons seek.
The store is a symbol of his good name.
How much alike are we indeed, though my own
Wares and tools differ some.
As you watch for passers-by to enter your shop’s doorway,
I await the phone and mail to bring my daily trade,
Trusting my customers to find me in my
Perch above the street.
Honest Lawyer three floors up!
In cart and bag, your goods are carried off,
While thoughts and words – some written, others not –
Comprise the deliveries of my craft.
Coffee poured, I take my chair,
Sweep the detritus of yesterday into the bin and
Arrange my desk for its new custom.
I strive as well to gauge the market for my sales
And only storehouse product lines that can be used;
Like you, my stock in trade cannot grow stale.
Your constancy reminds that I too must keep the
"Shutter" up, the
"Walkway" clear, and
My inventory fresh and well-displayed.
Dan Caine
