Am Who I Was

Old Habits

I used to be the hippie-dippy laundry guy.

Folks would bring in a smelly bag or two
of clothes or tablecloths and towels, or
maybe a business suit or a little black dress
that needed to be dry-cleaned and pressed

and I’d turn around, hand them off to the
back-room laundry slaves, ask them nicely
to do whatever they could to rush it up,
help me meet my hippie-dippy promises.

And later, when their offices finally closed,
and the customers came in for pick-up
I’d hand over their neatly pressed hangers
and their freshly folded bags, ready to use,

and they’d fork over the cash or credit
and I’d smile my best hippie-dippy smile
and they’d smile, reach in their pocket
and slip me a tip of a couple of joints.

I always split the spliffs with the soapers;
I mean, what else could I do? I had a rep…

I’m older now. I don’t work there anymore
but I’m still the hippie-dippy laundry guy…

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dVerse Poets
Tuesday Poetics
~ Spin-Cycle Poetry ~
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