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,
content with the free coffee.

He leisurely scanned the obituaries,
as casually as one might peruse
the Help Wanted section—
not actively seeking a career,
but open to the idea of future possibilities.