Pot belly cord

At about half way up the street you can see him
pulling on his knotted cord
Sunday sunlight
on the way to midday
street fair astray
being tipped gingerly into the hobo's beer can ashtray

Outside the supermarket twirling that cord
every shopper greets him but not square in the eye
half false happy kind of smiles
The ones you try on children
or the ones you try out for style

And he's himself, back rebounding off the wall
head full of saliva
brain an adolescent engine
street fair a game of observing
Counting greetings, nodding and hanging his knotted cord
Someone fall into his arms and receive a down syndrome reward