The Truth About Tigers

At the dealership this morning,
waiting on my oil change
(a task I once handled myself,
back when money was tighter
and time felt less costly),
I watched an old man, newspaper in hand,
perfectly content
with the unremarkable quality
of the free coffee.

He scanned the obituaries
as casually as one might browse
the Help Wanted section—
not actively seeking a position,
just open to the idea
of future possibilities.