A Ghost Story

"In this film, aftermath is everything" - Anthony Lane

"We're right back where we started,"
the British boy behind me on Prince Street
sighs to his parents. 

"Yes, my boy, forward motion is useless,"
replies the film still playing in my head, 
reeling from the amount of pathos
a dirty gray sheet can exude. 

"What was I supposed to do with that?"
the stranger had shrugged at me as we
walked into the city summer haze. 

The future may not care about us, but
we can care about each other. 
Inevitably we will all eat
The Whole Damn Pie. 
Inevitably our stomachs will revolt, 
We will end up back where we started.