World's Saddest Musician

In the center court of the Ghost Towne Mall ™

On a barren stage

Stands the World’s Saddest Musician.

Neither old nor young

His faded, baggy jeans pool up

Over the top of his brown Hush Puppies.

He wears a baggy grey sweatshirt

Over a charcoal grey t-shirt.

Brown-black hair pulled back in a ponytail-ish mullet,

He plays “Hope I Don’t Fall in Love With You”

On an off-brand 6-string acoustic.

The floor in front of him is bare.

Not a dust bunny, not a reflection, nothing.

Except for one

The World’s Saddest Dancer.

Reminiscent of Sally Scarecrow

But with black hair

A blue sweatshirt and jeans cover

Most of her grey-white skin.

Her eyes are closed and dreamy

As she sways and dances across the floor.

Now a sashay now a hokey-pokey

She kicks up the one of one teal-blue high heel

Then another.

Sally the Dancer may be

The Sad Singer’s wife or girlfriend

Or his only groupie

Or no one he knows at all.

Just a victim of meth and urban decay.

Still she dances.

A tiny little girl

Blonde in a red jacket

Skirts to the edge of Sally’s perception.

Sally brings her in,

Tries to get her to dance.

The girl lifts one foot

Turns on her heel and runs away.

It’s a narrow escape.