8

if you stand long enough you will see a man in white come to you

but you must go to him first

standing long enough just waiting is pointless

you have to move to be moved to

no one is coming darling

no one is coming to save you from this lack

from this raging homelessness

no one is coming to place a roof over your head

but if you wait long enough at the right spot

just at the right spot

then you might stumble into a welcome conversation

with an eager buyer

when they discover in conversation that you are destitute and weak

one or two of them might forget their haggle about shirts from Burkina Faso

they will choose instead to become friends with you

NO PROBLEM they will respond each time you rave about your misfortune

NO PROBLEM they will mimic their French coworker in an attempt to distract you 

NO PROBLEM here lets smoke a cigarette at least you are homeless with a room to sleep in

you will spend the rest of the night pretending to not like beer

then they will offer you wine

you will learn very quickly from their humor that to say yes would be to give in to a trap

the rest of the night will be spent talking to strangers determined to become friends

referring to delightful women as gardens

mixing up languages

throwing in a gossip or two here and there

with your homelessness still raging

with your belly still rumbling from hunger

your mouth will be filled with laughter and cigarette smoke

you will start to be happy

knowing that you now have one or two great friends because of your misfortune

if you stand in a corner long enough

you will meet a friend or two.