Months ago at the grocery store checkout

Months ago, at the grocery store check-out,

she asked about my day.

I said, 'Just trying to keep the wolves

from the door, you know?'

She gave a small nod, a quick, almost imperceptible tilt

of her head, her eyes not quite meeting mine.

It was a throwaway, a tired old phrase.

But this morning, on a podcast,

some expert, some talking head,

said the exact same thing.

'Just trying to keep the wolves from the door.'

And I heard it again, sharper this time.

And I wondered what she heard.