By Susha
Date: 9 March 2000

Love at First Franchise

it was cloudy
raining...sprinkling actually
The Day
i first saw your face
i pulled into the Dunkin Donuts
you said you owned
i bought a fat-free blueberry muffin
and a coffee with artificial sweetener
you didn't have non-dairy creamer
"One strike against him," I laughed to myself

i stalled for a moment in there
i mean
How long can one tall brunette
in a Kamali suit
truly stall in a donut shop?
yep...me and the old guys at the counter
"yeah...so i gots me a four pointer strapped to the top of my Lexus"
Sigh
oh well...he's not here
and i washed my car for nothing
in the rain yet

i flung the bag with the muffin on the floor of my car
to be honest...i think it's still in my trunk
typical
i didn't even see you barreling into the parking lot
remember i almost ran you over as i was backing out?
"Is that him", i wondered
You looked dead at me
"Oh God, it is him"
"Breathe Susan, Breathe"

You picked up a piece of trash from the sidewalk
i remember thinking how tall you were
it seemed like it took you forever to bend down
you had on light jeans
and hiking boots
and a blue shirt
see
i remember
i tore out of the parking lot like a scared rabbit
don't think i even looked to see if any traffic was coming
i know i didn't
i was looking at you

"you idiot susan"
what the hell are you doing
what made me pull over and call you
then meet you
at Burger King for god's sake
yes,
this is what i will tell my darling grandchildren
the first time i ever saw him was at a Dunkin Donuts
and
it was in the parking lot of Burger King
he looked at me with those eyes
that moment
I fell in love for eternity

Then he had to run
Lunch
TGIFriday's
with his wife

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