Red Head At The Laundromat

You marched in
With purpose.

Set down your bags
On the table
With a swagger.

I watched you
As you put 75 cents
Into the detergent vendor
Picking
Tide
Scooping the envelope up
As soon as it dropped
And went over
To the washer
Directly opposite
Immediately
Seeing that it was available
By the glowing blue digital numbers
Indicating that it wasn’t in use.

It was your profile
That I really took notice of
As you were pouring in
The powdered detergent slowly
Bending down eye level
To make sure it all came out
Then
Reaching over
To pick up your bag
Off of the table
And empty it into the tumbler
Depositing $2.25 in quarters
And pressing
Colors.

You didn’t look at me once.

You avoided my gaze.

There was no ring on your finger.

You had a slightly large nose
But it fit your face
Perfectly
Anchoring vast eyes
And puffy
Spacious lips.

Your frizzy red hair
Jumbled from
An unflattering wool cap
That kept you warm
From the cold outside.

You had good legs
Packed into those tights.

If you just looked at me
Met my gaze

Perhaps
We’d be laughing
Right now.

Curious
How
Even though we are neighbors
We haven’t met before
Until now
Here
In this laundromat.

And I would somehow
Politely ask you

“Where are your whites?”
“Or are you just bright colors?”