over a muted brown mug of darker brown coffee
steam curled around his nose and up
through the strands of his hair
he exhales.
"I don't think I've seen you around here before,"
says the barista
with her hands clutched in her apron
her painted smile fixed on
the folds of her shirt too tight
too new
the other regulars know the difference
but he doesn't see anything familiar at all.
he takes a sip over the ringing in his ears
as the headache fades
the first cup kicks in.
"No, I'm just passing through."
her hands drift apart
as he fails to look up and see the place
where one strap is beginning to slip.
"Well, is there anything else I can get for you?"
he sighs and shakes his head
and for a moment smells something like burning
like the smoke that has followed him across the state
clinging to his worn flannel jacket
and his ragged brown hair
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