I think I had spoken twice

I think I had spoken twice

Before he responded

If that’s what it was

One second he was staring right at me

The next he had pulled back

As if jerked by an invisible thread

The look on his face

A blend of shock and revulsion

How could I have dared to speak

To break into his world

‘uh-hu …!?’

‘I said it’s funny how people

Can totally ignore a person

Who is not within the same age bracket’

‘Uh what do you mean?’

‘Well...I guess it widens as you get older

But when you’re at school it is kind of

Forbidden to acknowledge the existence

Of kids even a year younger...two years

And they are not even visible

When we grow up the need to hang out

With our peers is well established

Probably for primal reasons, initially,

Procreation the need for a provider,

Protector...somebody who can

Stick around until we get old or infirm

Whichever comes sooner.’

‘Sorry?’

‘Yeh...you look a little lost probably

Because as an older guy you think

That I have nothing of value to offer

Perhaps we don’t share the same

Cultural reference points

Don’t laugh at the same jokes

Maybe we think differently about

Non-binary gender issues

Racial intolerance

Maybe you think that as an older person

I am more likely to be reactionary

Or homophobic

Failing to see the irony in assigning

Stereotypical values on to me

Whilst being critical of my attitude

Toward you

‘I was miles away…’

‘Yes me too...perhaps we were so far apart

We would have missed a point of reference

Even if we had crashed into it full tilt,’

I felt a little guilty the guy was still tongue tied

‘Perhaps I have done you a disservice

Maybe you were just lost in thought

And had intended to acknowledge my existence

At some point…

Instead of giving me that kind of

Wild look which seems to say...

Look mister stop being weird will you

What is it about people who think

That they have a divine right to exist?

I don’t have to speak to you just because

You are there

You and I have nothing in common

No meeting ground

No connection other than being human

And quite frankly I doubt that last preposition

It kind of presupposes we come from the same

Genetic pool

And I think maybe I have more in common with

A banana than you.’

I might have overstepped a little

With the banana reference

As his eyes had glazed over

He might have died on me

Some guys have all the luck.