Future tense
One time, in the cold black Denver morning,
the city skyline
blinking to life,
traffic hadn’t yet started
to pool in the streets,
I was longboarding to the bus stop,
and in the stillness
of the dark
a businessman approached me.
He was dressed well,
tailored suit and brown leather shoes,
nice tie and a sturdy briefcase. Already looking at my watch,
I was ready to give him the time,
ready for casual conversation, nice day, how about the weather.
He took me completely by surprise,
he stopped and asked
"excuse me, miss--
what year is it?"
I didn't have time to
think of a reply,
to think of a question,
ask him about his life,
I told him it was 2013 and, bewildered
and in a daze,
I went, skating, on my way.
To this day, I still wonder
what happened to him,
wonder where he was from,
wonder where he went.