the man who shit his pants

he staggered in
I was at the register
about to feed my card
to the money eater
in it’s slot
he was getting closer
I had to look at him

he had no mask on
I did.

I thought he was going to fuck
with me
in fact,
I wished for it.
instead,
he squeezed between
me and the counter
then stopped.

I took a step back
waiting…
waiting for what would
come next
because I knew
something else was coming

I squared my shoulders to him
I readied my feet
my fists
my soul

he squatted down
as if he were sitting on an
invisible chair
and proceeded
to fill his pants
with gallons of wet shit

the smell
good freaking lord
that smell
it hit me hard in the nose
burning up my nostrils
flames scorching
my sinuses
eyes watering
stomach turning
warm bile
moving up my throat
I swallowed hard

he stood up
from his squat
and staggered passed
towards the restroom
the man behind the counter
was waving me closer
to finish my transaction
he was getting annoyed
he wanted me
to trek through
that sulfuric sweet stink

I hurried
did my business
and ran out of the liquor store.

I was sure that if I looked
into the rearview mirror
I would see flames
burning behind the whites
of my eyes,
like the blazing
desert
sun.

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