5 of me

here I am sitting alone
nothing strange about the day
raining again nothing out of the ordinary

a man about forty-five years old
alone too, I order my regular
he plays with his keys nervously
seems to be in a hurry
he orders eats and leaves
that fast unnoticed

younger man might be younger than me
sitting quietly eating lunch
smoking cigarettes, thinking
observing all around
and looking sad

another man about sixty or so
reading the news
seemingly un-bothered by the smoke
he doesn’t himself
and seems content with the life
he has been living

and of course there is joe
about 50
veteran’s hospital out-patient
gambling man in debt
said he bought $100 in scratch tickets
with a credit card
he is worried and talking
to himself out loud

there are five of me
here today
at different moment in my life
in looking at these men
I see myself. . .