Consumer

Penelope,
a charming name,
a silly woman.

In the break room,
I wait my turn.

Penelope
rinses her tea cup in a white torrent.

She rinses and rinses and rinses…

and I feel a tension mounting…

and she rinses and rinses and rinses…

and I want to reach across…

and she rinses and rinses and rinses,
until finally,
Penelope steps aside

and I,
I strike that spigot like a viper.

Eyebrows arched,
“An environmentalist, pray tell?”

A small thing,
perhaps.

But I tell you truly,
sweet Penny,
this thing,
this thing will tear it down.