in Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn <br />enjoying a camaraderie <br />with the jolly folks <br />buying stuff for <br />the great Thanksgiving feast to come. <br />On line with sweet potatoes and Splenda <br />my contribution <br />for my sister’s dinner <br />I picked up Vanity Fair <br />featuring Kate Moss on the cover <br />and indicating they’d tell all about <br />her sad tale of coke addiction— <br />$4.95 added to my bill. <br />Of course as soon as I got home <br />I flipped the pages to the expose <br />but just then the phone rang. <br />Steve D said, “Bernstein, I almost <br />sold a few of your photographs.” <br />“Without you <br />I’m done for! ” I said <br />hoping to spur him on to actually <br />selling one of my pictures. <br /> “Don’t count on me <br />count on yourself.” <br />“But I only signed your contract <br />so I wouldn’t <br />have to count on myself.” <br />“C’mon. c’mon, Bernstein <br />this is wisdom I’m giving you.” <br />I turned a page <br />and blurted out, “What planet <br />do these people live on? ” <br />“Huh? ” <br />“Vanity Fair— <br />nothing but big cash <br />and beautiful women.” <br />“You have to love your life <br />to live your life, ” he said. <br />“Drinking again? ” <br />“Sunday...a little...” <br />“And you just got a massage.” <br />‘The best, Bernstein, the best.” <br />“Aren’t you the least bit <br />perturbed <br />you have no big cash <br />and no beautiful woman.” <br />“You have to love your life <br />to live your life.” <br />I continued to turn the pages <br />then stopped and stared at a watch <br />costing $6,299. <br />“Plenty of watches in this magazine <br />Movado, Ebel, TagHeuer <br />diamonds also, Cartier, De Beers, <br />and booze, and high-priced dresses, <br />and endless ads for perfume <br />sporting fantasy names.” <br />“Think you’d be happy, Bernstein, <br />with big cash <br />and beautiful women? ” <br />“Can’t imagine big cash <br />can’t imagine beautiful women <br />can’t imagine happiness, ” I replied. <br />Persistent this fellow: <br />“You have to love your life <br />to live your life.”<br /><br />Charles Chaim Wax<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-ambled-through-stop-n-shop-supermarket/
