Cheesy Karma  #82
April 25, 1998

I was in the kitchen, 
my face peering
into the void 
I call 
my fridge.

(You think one
would tire of having
condiments for dinner)

Reaching for
the cheese sauce, 
A sudden stir at the door 
froze my hand
in mid-reach position. 

I opened the door wide,
"I've been expecting you, 
come on in." I said.

Karma darkened my doorway 
with his bellbottoms
and Mardi-Gras beads.
Now mind you, 
my first thought 
was to run
but I was bored and flattered 
by the personal touch
of a house-call. 

(Now days you just get hassled by phone usually)

I shook his hand, 
offered him a chair and a brew.
We chatted awhile 
about the weather.

He said
it would rain 
for a couple years, 
but the sun 
would show his face 
eventually 
If I ever decided 
to stop watching Jerry Springer.

I told him that I didn't mind the rain so much, 
but I hated when the worms
get flooded out
of their little holes. 
(what did they ever do?)

We joked 
over my fuck-ups 
and threw a few darts.
He said he rarely enjoys visiting people, 
they never appreciate his input 
and though he would love to stay and chat 
that he has business to attend to in Washington.

Before he left I asked,
"what do you in your spare-time?"
(If you could ask your karma
one thing, what would you ask?)

He replied, 
"What spare time?"
but he did tell me, 
he occasionally plays phone tag 
with my conscious 
and sometimes 
(when business is slow)
they get together 
and enjoy live 
jazz downtown.

I simply smiled 
and said,

"well, tell my conscious 
sorry I've been avoiding 
her, but I've been 
too busy chasing 
my shadow."

I shut the door, 
sighed
and made myself 
a cheese sauce sandwich.

(I know what you're thinking, but actually they are not that bad.)