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.