Alone in McDonald's

Alone in McDonald's on New Year's Eve eve.

He came here from time to time to consider his
polluted soul; to wonder how it could possibly
have come to this.

Surrounded by people with that "look"; broken lives,
dead dreams, no money, no hope.

Trapped, with only one option for escape.

Easy to be alone in that sterile atmosphere; easy
to feel lost. Disconnected.

It felt right.

These were not his people, yet he wondered if
they soon would be.

Seemed that way.

His life was not his own and it was resistant to change.

It was getting late. Very late.

He watched the cars driving up and down,
past gas stations and convenience stores, fast
food joints and check cashing places;
meaningless lives, fleshed out with false justification.

Lives he once considered his life superior to, but
no longer.

He came here to dive deep into his despair, to just let
it be, in an atmosphere that welcomed it.

Without judgment.

No one to question him, no one to criticize him, no one
to expect more.

Sometimes that was enough.