Shopping above his pay grade in an upscale
grocery store, that catered to the rich,
a fancy woman, sporting diamond rings,
wearing designer clothes, came on to him.
Her beauty was compelling, her perfume
seductive, her voice enchanting.
But he passed her by with just a few
pleasantries, so not to reject her impolitely.
He could not afford her, and he didn’t want her
to afford him, like a kept lesser pauper man.
And he knew she had assumed that because
he was in that upscale grocery store,
he was upscale monied too and suitable,
instead of the monetarily unsuitable
peasant she’d find him to be.

Bob Boyd