Christmas by the Downtown Scraper

a lone businessman with a broken candy cane
stirring a cold volcano
in a sterile, steel bar with no patrons.

it's a modern and clean place.
the drinks are priced high but
he likes upscale joints.
mostly though, he sits there because
he doesn't know where else to go
after work.

he's doing well at the firm and the guy on the second floor
is going to set him up with a date next week.

he hopes she's pretty.

his drink is empty.

the room is empty.

should he go home now?

or should he wait and see if
any potential friends will
walk through that door?

the air conditioning kicks on.
it's cold outside.
like polished chrome. 

for a moment he thinks about the Christmas lights
he wrapped around
his mailbox.

for some reason, only half of his lights
are working.

and for the life of him, he can't find the bulb
that ruined the strand.