13,540. OF CYCLAMATES AND ARMS

OF CYCLAMATES AND 

GOOFBALL ARMS

'Turned out in the end I didn't know

nothing; the same bastards who blitzed

me on the way in got me on the way out.

I never feared for much, except this. The

feeling of an ending isn't so cool.' 

-

Well, it seemed he meant all he said but

I couldn't tell and, besides, when you're

at some grimy, nowhere train station

who can you believe? The creep who

sidles up to you and begins to tell his

life story?

-

That's no different than any daffy old

lady doing the same, in her female way.

About flowers, and grandkids and homes

handbags and grandkids again. Charming 

for sure, but the presence seems flat and

she smells like a cemetery too.

-

The plaque on the wall tells about

some 1957 test-train that ran by here

at 150 mph, clear to Trenton from the

New Brunswick flats; the only long

straightaway in Jersey  -  where they

could really turn it on. I guess that was

good, but useless too. Here in Jersey

every three miles is another damned

town.

-

 'Princeton Junction; transfer here

for downtown Princeton and Princeton

University. Wait time about 8 minutes.'