A single cracker
Is held upright
In a dollop of
Some assorted savory mush.
It’s served by the grocery store employee
Who is paid to plate your single bite
From a freshly thawed box that you will likely never buy.
You feel negligibly guilty.
You take and give nothing in return,
But how could you resist?
It’s a couple of feet away from you
And it smells like a consumerist dream.
As you make your getaway,
Clutching your shriveled paper cup,
You thank the worker.
Resigning your hesitation
And acknowledging your undeniable profit.
It’s not beneficial for the product,
But it sure is for you and the store.
The free sample is our reimbursement for spent time and money,
Our reward for staying,
And our incentive to come again.
Rohun Reddy is a sophomore who has taken creative writing classes over the last few years. He was born in Houston Texas and continues to live there. Rohun doesn't get much chance to explore the city, but he hears there's a lot to do. Rohun feels like in his time here, he's experienced most of what there is to love, and he's now content sinking back into his schedule.
"Riyadh: Grocery store" by noaman is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
