Incomplete Commercials by Kate O'Brien

A robber'd like the look of—

solitude. 

No where else is safe. 

Every neighborhood calls out:

Relapse.   

He will find himself reaching for gold watches,

for diamonds, 

for flat screens,

for safe dials,

for mirrors. Again.  

But really it's not

his fault. 

Sometimes, someone thrusts a ski mask in our hands, says

"take." And we do.

Take, for instance, 

the guy in the Brinks Home Security commercial.

One minute, he's a jogger

who leans down to tie his shoe.

The next, he kicks a door in.

     

One minute, your shoelace is undone. 

The next, you're doing 35 for attempted home invasion.

One minute, you are someone's doodle. 

The next, you are a composite sketch. 

We are all victims

of robbery. We could happen to anyone.