At quarter past five, I walked across the street,

and got a sausage sandwich at the Dunkin'.

In the parking lot just outside my building,

I greeted Lisa, my neighbour, out for a smoke.

The guy at the shop knows me now by sight,

knows what I typically order. He asked first,

in case I had a surprise in store for him!

(I’m horribly predictable. If it ain’t broke.)

Then Brenda who works at the Book Rack

dropped into Dunks for her morning joe

and maybe a honey-dipped, I couldn't see.

Skies were quite dark, but the world was waking up.

Trucks rumbled down the Parkway, shook the stars.

I sat looking out. An hour, still, till dawn.