Trix

He walked into the grocery store
Expecting to be in and out;
On-brand Trix cost two bucks more
But didn’t want the lil ones to pout.

Got through the self-checkout
With relative ease;
Threw the receipt right out,
Was too stressed to track fees.

Almost out the door
When two policemen blocked his path;
Figured he was poor
And bound to bounce his budget’s math.

Demanded he show proof
That he hadn’t stolen anything;
He hoped it was a spoof
Of a pre-60s sort of thing.

But no, they darkened their eyes
Even darker than the tone of his skin;
Just a standard exercise
Conducted with a wise-ass grin.

His wife and kids had waited long enough,
Too long for him to trash-dive for some damn ten-buck receipt
So he decided that three could play at being tough,
Told them both to go to hell then ran out into the street.

Well, they followed like a rocket
All the way to his parking space,
Saw one hand touch his pocket
And put a bullet through his face.

The Trix fell out of the bag
Alongside a junior hair comb
While his family’s eyes started to sag;
How late would he be coming home?