Pickety Pockety Poo
09:45, Ayala MRT Station, Stairs.
Me, late, in a hurry.
People, people, people. Slow people on long stairs.
Damn slow people.
In front of me, two women, short, fat, in their forties.
One fat woman’s hand on the purse of girl in front of her.
Careless girl clinging to boyfriend’s arm, pushing purse behind them both.
Purse with magnet strap, no zipper.
One deft flick, one fat woman’s hand in a purse.
Two fat women squeeze together, obscuring my view.
People, people, people on the stairs, pushing, bumping. No one seeing.
I see. I don’t care.
Pass two women, short, fat, oldish.
One woman holding a black wallet. Opens wallet, closes wallet, slips wallet into a black
purse.
White cloth over her arm, over her black purse.
Both women holding fans.
Bottom of the stairs. Careless couple go separate ways. Two women disappear.
Miss, miss, your bag is open.
Oh, thank you.
Girl looking inside bag, girl closing bag, flimsy magnet strap. Goes on her way.
Me, late, in a hurry.
