13800
Jan looked at her makeup as the train moved to and fro,
at 6am the sun rose as she headed to the show,
her workplace aggravating still she had to pay them bills,
today was worse than others cause she had to stay until,
the monthly readings posted which would be like nine at night,
she had a paperback to get her through such times of plight,
still Jan was thankful for her job though not a big affair,
she happened to look up; that's when she saw him sitting there.
The look upon his face was blank to Jan like wipe the board,
she recognized him watching her so many times before,
from when she walked her neighbor's dog amongst the night degrees,
the man's stare was a constant presence in her life indeed.
Jan rose up from her seat real quickly as her stop approached,
she thought herself as pleasing to the pupils not to boast,
but as she headed up the aisle and exited the train,
Jan felt the man's blank staring burn a nexus in her brain.
1:28 pm
The sun was shining like a million flashlights on at once,
as Jan walked down 6th Avenue Manhattan off to lunch,
these quarter posting times were just as deadly as a gun,
but now Jan needed food to keep her ready for the fun.
She didn't have a taste for anything specific though,
so Jan decided quick on an Italian chicken roll,
she waited on the long line sighing "This is so insane",
and looked to see the train man staring through the window pane.
His gaze was so intense and plus he didn't even blink,
his beard was matted scraggly; eyes the shade of freezing ink,
no one else seemed to notice as his face pressed on the glass,
but Jan was too aware that she was safest on her task,
of getting to the register and paying for the food,
the time came and she swiped her debit blatantly and rude,
she gathered the container in her rightest hand so strong,
then looked back up with nervousness and saw the man was gone.
9:07 pm
"Good job!" Jan's boss hollered; "Everything will post real soon,
and to reward you all nobody has to post til noon."
The loud applause rang out like fireworks on 4th July,
with all the smiles lit up like said explosions coursed the sky.
"You're walking to the station?" Beth, Jan's coworker inquired,
"A cab" Jan soon replied "because my feet are hurt and tired."
"Ok, see you tomorrow." Beth confirmed and scampered off,
as raindrops started knocking on the window damp and soft.
The screen of Jan's computer flickered as the numbers changed,
she watched accounts get posted and she noticed nothing strange,
as debits turned to credits Jan allowed her mind to roam,
like old school kind of phones; before she knew it time was thrown,
right out the window; falling with the slow and misty rain,
but Jan had no umbrella; life is such a risky game,
she logged off the computer and with all the blinkers dead,
Jan sighed with great relief abound; all she think was bed.
9:59 pm
"The cab was 'sposed to be here!" Jan exasperated hard,
the steady rain did fall like pennies from an angel y'all,
6th Avenue was stuffed up with umbrellas like a nose,
a few more minutes passed then Jan said "Bump this I'ma go."
With no umbrella shielding her from falling water drops,
the chill of which embraced her skin and made it scalding hot,
Jan weaved throughout the people like Ezekiel do lines,
of defense and her pretense? Make the PATH train in due time.
The lights of Times Square sparkled like a tree on Christmas Eve,
the sights and sounds of New York brightened Jan's mood instantly,
she loved to work in Manhattan just hated the commute,
espec'lly when the heavens dropped on her mad rain to boot.
Jan reached West 37th Street with just four blocks to go,
before she hit the PATH station but them four blocks was yo,
the longest of her journey; as she paused to cross the street,
her eyes grew wide with horror and she felt God ought'a be,
on break or just straight slippin because there he was again,
the man who doesn't grin; his face a post of puzzled sin,
and staring right at her before the light began to change,
she felt like Missy E right then; she couldn't stand the rain.
Alot of people crossed but Jan's two eyes were locked on him,
as his were locked on her which made her stomach drop like gin,
had been ingested and there was no food in to absorb,
Jan didn't hesitate to put her foot into the floor,
or should I say the ground; she spun around and rightly quick,
then took off like a falcon; number seven Michael Vick,
straight down West 36th toward the east side of 5th Ave.,
a few minutes of sprinting had the poor girl winded bad.
She stopped to catch a breath; I'm talking stooped, hands on her hips,
it only took a tick before the man was on her quick,
a subway entrance beckoned so Jan leapt the flight of stairs,
and saw it also led right to the PATH train like a flare.
She swiped her Metro Card before she stumbled to the tracks,
too bad the train was pulling off and wasn't coming back,
the empty platform killed off anything that looked like hope,
Jan felt her psyche cracking like them boys who cook that blow.
The sudden sound of hard footsteps approaching filled the air,
Jan couldn't move a muscle yet the girl was still aware,
as a tremendous shadow growing closer filled the stairs,
she closed scared eyes prepared to die; like someone really cared....
4am
Jan sat up in bed quite startled; it was all a dream,
it was all the things that meant it wasn't all it seemed,
no man was out to get her but it seemed so very real,
she exhaled as she shivered from the air so very chilled.
Jan's window was wide open letting cold temps filter through,
she shook her head then shut it tight as work then killed the mood,
she walked toward the bathroom; monthly readings teased her head,
not knowing that the man now watched her from beneath her bed.
©2017
The Cunning Linguist
