attention shoppers

i was in the grocery store
which was air-conditioned.
i asked someone where the tomatoes went
and was told they came by boat.
also that they flew.
i got the sense that we were talking about different things
and in the space between
when someone made a page
and hung up the phone i could hear tidal waves
in the intercom announcements.
it reminded me of being inside of something.
i just kept walking and so did everyone else.

a baby started to cry
and another baby
this one all the way across the store and then
everyone in the store started to just howl
even the intercoms.
the babies got real quiet then.

i got in line and i paid for my food.
my sweat had turned into small drops of ice
when i walked out the doors they melted.