Coffee and Donuts

Life is good in these waning

days of the American Century.

I'm at Coffee and Donuts on

Ditmas and Coney Island Ave.

sucking on an iced coffee

and it's 97 degrees outside.

hottest day of the year.

I'm here with the Indians

and the Pakistanis and

the kids and the aged

and the Jews and Moslems

and we all have one thing in

common—the need to escape

the oppressive heat.

preferably with

ice cream

iced coffee

and of course

donuts.

life is good in these waning

days

of the American Century

because we've perfected

the air conditioned oasis.

say what you will about

other places and other

times but the fact is

life has always been hard

on this planet and

I do appreciate this

opportunity to retreat

into the electric

refuge

and forget

and absorb

caffeine

for a moment

or two.