I was in a milk store

buying something

standing in line

short line

when the movies ate my consciousness

as they like to do



& I was standing there

& not standing there

standing in the mess line

with Steve McQueen

playing Jake Holman

in The Sand Pebbles

& wondering how screwed up my brain is



& wondering what Jake Holman

in 19whatever would be thinking

of in his line in his day

without movies & television



But I had to go back

because the Stanley Cup Playoffs were on

& I wanted to catch the end

of the second period

& the third

because that was somehow important



The privacy of my electronically large bunk

filled with noise         not of my making.