Price Check

A soft whisper
in the credit card
line with sixteen
people ahead, pushing
carts and kids aside,
toys and skateboards
spilling to the side of the register,
yes, that's when you said,
"price check"
and you knew that
Pet Bear is two-ninety-nine,
so it was nighty-night for the
night shift in the electronics section,
oh, Lucy knows the prices,
lets go to the backroom
where the new rugs
provide a shelter from
the noise and screaming
of kids wanting to know
where to find the new Shiny Montana
CD, rewind it was only a dream...
yet, still, it sickens me to think
that a price check involves
aside from information,
knowing my number
and where I will be
what time, when and with whom...
perhaps its the holiday specials
driving people crazy, even
enough to let others know
the price of those red panties,
although she knew because
the ones she was wearing were pink.