Man Talking to Grapes in a Supermarket

Passing the silverbeet I spot him
doing press-ups near the grapes
and hammer-and-tonging away at them
and there are four people watching
who aren't staring either at him or away from him
four kids like himself with meat-ground heads
and with eyes like they're squinting at the sun.
The workout gets even nastier as I sidle past
to pick some apples and then he hoiks himself upright
and obeys his mother-chook carer's call
and I am left feeling like I'm in a gently rising lift
thinking that no, not everyone concerns themselves
with car insurance, with salary packaging
with long service leave and superannuation
some people - just a select and tiny group -
have the sense to talk to fruit.