She stands in front of the upscale store on Palm Canyon Drive. She's twenty, she's sullen, she's bored. She's on a ten-minute break. She passes the time by smoking a cigarette and enjoying every life-shortening but nerve-soothing puff. She's living in someone else's paradise. She hates her job, but needs every penny of her salary to help pay for her college tuition. She hopes that the degree she's working on will enable her to get the hell out of Palm Springs and lead a more fulfilling life. A middle-aged, rather wealthy-looking couple walk up to the storefront and gaze at the expensive diamond necklace in the window. She realizes it's time to go back to work. She puts out her cigarette and walks back into the store to take her place behind the counter. As she welcomes the couple into the store with her most sincere smile, she steels herself to be polite and professional one more time. After all, one day she will be free. Copyright 1998 Terry McCarty All rights reserved.
Reason for writing:
This poem was inspired by a recent trip to Palm Springs to catch some of the Palm Springs Film Festival. Between films, I had time to walk down Palm Canyon Drive and notice the stark contrast between the middle-aged-to elderly people who are residents/visitors and the young people (including some Deadheads) who live in the town.
Birth sign: Not entered
You need to log in to edit this poem if it is yours.
View more poems by Terry McCarty.