I got awoken in Cheadle Hulme Costa
by a man wearing a coat with buttons
more suited to the chest of a gingerbread man.
Fortunately, I did not bite his fingers off
as he explained where and when I was.
I want to be good at small talk
so I offered him a hot chocolate. He shook
his head and said cocoa sends him to sleep.
I thank him for pulling me back
to reality and said I’m recovering from a virus.
He walked backwards to his seat
and put large headphones over his ears.

Carl Burkitt 2025