aldi discontinued dinos and sharks fruit snacks

“I’m wondering how you think I’ve been” -Worst Party Ever

I bring you to the front of my mind 

to offer you a trade.

The coffee shop for that one song I showed you,

white Chevy Malibus for Chappell Roan,

these friends for those friends. 

I will drive to the Aldi to the west,

you can keep the one to the north,

the one that carried Dinos and Sharks

fruit snacks even after

they were discontinued. 

Final offer.

We will not shake on it, for that would require us

to utter words to each other, and I cannot hear you

across the tundra of dining room table that separates us. 

I will add clauses and subclauses and articles 

not to confuse but to make sure

I never end up in the wrong place at the wrong time,

sitting in your living room high enough 

for it to be sinful. 

Lightning strikes my spine when

a stranger in a coffee shop says your name

when I ask for hers. As I make the drink I wonder

if I should include this in the trade. Your name

for mine. For someday you will meet another me

and I hope it does not cause you the same shock, but 

for now your name does not fit in my mouth,

so when I call it out to hand her the coffee

I choke.