No Bread for Bread
8.20.2011
The store has eyes
The store can see
And it’s my job to monitor
The sights it shares with me
Loss prevention my focus,
My job, store security
The store opens its eyes to me
It lets me take a look
It let me see the loaf of bread
The hungry young man took
But this man
He was no common thief
He had no job, no money, no food
In my observation, it’s my belief
A desperate man did
What he felt he had to do
I saw him when he first came in
His resume in hand
To apply for all the openings
The store simply did not have
Then wandered aisle to aisle
Contemplating all awhile
Yet, when upon other customers,
Offered “Hello,” and with a smile
But then…
I saw the strangest thing
The man began to work
To straighten, to clean
To do the things
He could not be hired for
He knew he needed food
He knew he needed to pay for it
He knew he had no bread for bread
So he knew he’d need to earn it
I watched him over the hour
I calculated in my head
He’d done more than enough work
For the store
To earn a loaf of bread
He followed behind a spoiled brat
Who threw stuff on the floor
But not so close the brat could see
Him cleaning up the store
He stacked empty baskets
Collected empty carts
And then, went back for more
He cleaned a spill
Re-stacked some cans
He did all of this the hour before
He hung his head, ashamed
As he stashed the bread
Then headed out the door
I stopped him, though,
I had to,
I had to do my job.
I don’t get to stretch firm lines
Between what you must pay for,
Or if from the store
You should decide to rob
Warning given, bread now in hand
I have a heart though, and my own plan
From my pocket, a five, it’s all I’ve got
I lied, said he dropped it
Crossing the lot
But, even in his plight
Again, he fought to do right
And told me he had not
“You’ve earned it though.”
I said to the man...
Told him all that I had seen.
“So go in there,
And buy the bread,
And keep your record clean.
