He realised his life had reached a disturbing stage
found himself in an argument with spouse
about
which particular shade of magnolia
to paint the hall.
It all took place in a store
with constant pa announcement
like a railway station
or an airport departure lounge
but without the exciting anticipation of flight.
The digitised voice introduced
not palm trees,
but bargain aisles of masking tape.
It called for assistants, 17 year old's who gape,
drop jawed and vacant,
when challenged with
OAPs in checkout queues.
The turmoil over which type of galvanised screw
they should really use
when fixing external cladding.

In one aisle, he noted rechargeable solar rock lights.
They have the audacity to believe no one will ever steal them from the gardens
and use them as day-glow cricket balls
for night-time entertainment.
He thought the world was going mad
trudged silently aghast
silently asked-
What was he doing,
surrounded by all of this?