The night before the meeting I stood in the shower

The night before the meeting I stood in the shower,

pumice stone, watching the gray film collect

beside the drain. I spent more than an hour

in there. I told myself: the correct

approach is preparation. Layer removed.

Surface ready. Whatever's outermost

and dead—scraped off. I stood. I proved

nothing. The water went cold. The ghost

of gray stayed in the tub.

I didn't rinse it. Went to bed.

I've been awake since three. The rub—

I don't have anything useful to add.

The meeting is in an hour.