200 Words or Less, #2

we are smiling as we approach the grocery store in the river town

as we've noticed the familiar transit van from our county

our county

which lies across the muddy river 

in a completely different state 

we seem to see our county transit van everywhere 

transporting seniors 

to their destinations

from a rural food desert 

to a grocery store 

maybe to the doctor’s office 

providing rides in an area with no bus 

or train

or Uber 

I hear an unmistakable sound 

wretch 

heave 

or as my grandson calls it, “un-swallowing” 

a frail man on bended knee 

head bent as if in prayer

nothing seems to come of his repeated efforts

a transit driver stands idle

her back to him on the opposite side of the van 

a faraway look in her eye  

my brain runs through well meaning questions 

and responses 

sir, do you need help? 

thanks but, I can vomit on my own

may I get you anything? 

perhaps just privacy...

bypassing the juice aisle

I buy a bottle of water

as an offering

but he is gone

so is the van

and the suns casts an iridescent dazzle on the emerald bile