Monday morning in a retail job

In silence I stare at a wall of white-trash snack food.
The cartoon cob on the bag of Corn Nuts clenches its fist in anger and screams
“If you’re looking for trouble you’ve found it buddy”
I turn away for I know it lives a lie.
The door opens
The cold and the din of morning traffic enter seeking refuge and perhaps a candy bar.
As soon as they enter they are gone, replaced by an amalgamation of noise, flesh, and currency.
After a transaction of false smiles and meaningless courtesy, our time is done.
I return to the wall greeted by the image of a cow on the bags of beef jerky.
I laugh at the cow its fate so like my own.
Born to toil, raised to be weak, and destined to be slaughtered for the enjoyment of a being whose motives I cannot comprehend.