A Consuming Weather

Clouds in a Walmart mirror. The galvanized roof is eclectically painted and rattling its shifting shadows. Some mutter, hurry to the unmanned checkouts, some seek a deeper shelter in the sporting goods aisle's The distant sounds of fire engines and sirens, a howling chorus of trepidation. Outside in the midday gloom parking-lot geese are forming escape lines. Squirrels gawp and chatter, hit the ground running. Another shoplifting tornado has come to town, pushing empty carts ahead of its imminent funnel of fear. A store greeter grins like death, as the gatecrashing wind steals his breath. The aftermath has yet to be counted, though bargain priced Chinese calculators are readily on sale everywhere.