He Had a Plan

Kinda

Co-created with DALL-E

he still had the printed directions
not because he needed them
just because he had printed them

they were folded wrong
creased against each other
so they wouldn’t open flat again

he kept moving them
from one pocket to the other

inside
the carpet showed moons
or something meant to be moons
ovals going shiny where people turned

the place smelled faintly
like the lobby of a school after hours

a vending machine hummed
then caught
then hummed again

she stood looking up
waiting for it to start

he noticed his watch was still on

the chairs leaned back too easily

when the stars came on
they didn’t stay put

one slid
stopped
then jumped back

he felt the directions press
against his leg
through the fabric