Standing in the middle of a chaotic center
where people are arranging-finding-eating-sleeping-
drawing-crying-thinking

Little boy with a red cap
Dark skinned from the east somewhere
Looking inside his backpack, searching
Hand in-toss about- open pocket
Wider, looking- forgotten-now talking with his father
Sitting-staring

Man in a purple shirt-smiles
Sat down with a cappuccino
Pulled out a book, read for a while
Pulled out a notebook
Is now writing with a green pen-looking puzzled-
Perplexed-content

Little girl-adorable-waving to all the fellow travelers
Holding mother's hand
Smiling-the world has yet to disappoint her
Picking up a little blue back pack-struggling
Flips it onto her shoulder-looses a bit of balance and giggles

Man with his family-yellow shirt
Gazing at the pictures in Good Housekeeping
Waiting-looks at watch, looks around
His grown children return- he flips through the magazine
Stands up- his family follows
No smiles-casually walking away

Lady fiddling with her black sandals-white socks-grey purse
Many bangles on her right wrist making a clinking sound
Pulls glasses out of purse-wants to read ticket-yawns

New couple sits down where family was sitting
Man on cell phone- fumbles for a pen and paper
Laughs-woman picks at her fingernails, then her rings-
Not moving-man pulls out day timer
Converses with woman-man pencils something down

Young man sitting with legs extended
Magazine open but not looking
People walking by catch his attention He's dark sinned- biting his finger nails
on the hand he wears his watch
Strokes his chin-rubs his eyes brows
Has yet to look down at his magazine

Second man on cell phone-smiles-clicks foot around
Strokes shoe-pulls at the leather
Glasses and moustache adorn his face-stares without blinking
Fingers play with the fabric on the seat

Man with blue shirt- stirring his coffee
Takes a sip-lingers in his mouth
Wears loafers without socks-stands up to get something
out of his bag
Wearing Levis red-tab jeans

Grandpa beside me-patiently waiting
Legs crossed, one hand resting on his knee
Other hand picking at his nails
Looks around-peeks around the pillar
Black shoes, blue socks, claps hands - claps
Sitting his whole life.
Sitting.

Young woman with a pretty face -white shirt
Denim jacket-sitting with body leaning forward
Permanent gaze- looks to the right- rests her head in her hands
Tired, it seems, -lovely hair
Pulls out plastic bag- fiddles-pulls out a sandwich- same jacket as the one I wear
Mango.

Little girl with ice-cream, clean hair- soft
Dark skinned-sitting separate but not along- enjoying every lick of the
delicious treat.

Man with pink shirt-hands clasped
Leaning forward- sits back, continues with book
Face looks angry- concentrating
Looks up- innocent eyes- back to book and crossed again-
Didn't your mother ever tell you, your face would stay that way?

Trendy mother- eating popcorn- short blond hair- denim coat- pedal pushers
Wipes salt from fingers- leans forward- slouches- looks around- swallows before she speaks
Receives water from husband- empty eyes- clear blue but not vibrant
No smile wrinkles grace her face.

Man- staring without blinking at gate TV
Glasses like magnifying glasses- watching people go by
Arms crossed- closed- picks up something- hands it to the person
who dropped it and smiles- my perception is unjust

Black woman- blue bandanna- glasses- fuzzy hair
Closer up the bandanna is black
Reading a CD cover- rolled up jeans
Snake skin purse- searching for something as she looks around hand to mouth
while speaking
Finger stroking her watch- caressing her hands- yellow backpack

Man standing eating a bakery item- bearded, moustache
Dark skinned- big bites (not too big, not to small, just the size of Montreal)
Chewing- swallow while staring at passer-bys
Wipes hands of the evidence- bends down to get something- a toothbrush?

I think it's the third time I have seen the girl looking in the Chanel Store- or maybe just a lot of
other girls have the same shirt on today.
"Be nice to me, I'm a princess"

Adolescent pops a Pound into a motorcycle game- 3 minutes of pleasure in exchange for a coin
Dark skinned- coin costs more in his home than it does here
Crowd gathers around him- deeply involved in game
No time to turn to talk with the girl beside him- his sister?

In the same spot where the purple T-shirt man sat- another man, also wearing purple sits down-
ironic or just amusing?
He has a blue or black hat- not settled yet- searching for something in his pocket-
searching now in his bag- flipping the paper folded it-
sticking it back into the bag- stands up and leaves with a forced grin

Women's face appears sad- eyes look like pain is being hidden-has she had enough of waiting?

Little girl- wide innocent eyes- not smiling even though she's kicking her feet-
sucking on her pinky finger

Man moves foot to let a pretty lady go by- stares at her thighs as she passes

Mother gazing around- long face- pensive- staring down
Bags under her eyes.

Man looks tired- head holding up head- eyes closed- still closed
Still closed- still- still- still

Sister of little girl staring at her hot beverage- twisting the stir stick in it
Wearing too much dark make-up around her eyes- caught me staring at her-
but does not flinch

Man reading book as if it were an obituary- not angry- not happy-
seems as if contemplating all the injustice in the world- or is that just me?

Little girl with curly blond hair stands at the garbage looking at the papers she needs to throw out-
Contemplating-
She decides- drops them in- turns with her wide eyes and smile-
pressing her hands together while walking away.