The hour was late when he appeared
Seemingly out of nowhere
The street walkers were all walked out
Even the rats usually scurrying about
Had found a hiding hole for the night
But not him, he was staggering to and fro
Searching ashtrays for half smoked butts
Though he caught mine, I was never the
focus of his glassy eyed attention
Rail thin to the point of malnourished
Hair was long and unwashed
Pale Skin more covered with grime than not
He felt familiar and yet somehow foreign
For an unexplainable reason I was terrified of him
Not afraid of bodily harm, no, but of what
I knew to be true, This man was me
He was older but no doubt he was me
He didn't acknowledge when
I tentatively touched his sharp shoulder
But in an raspy version of my voice he spoke
"If you like what you see, stay, if not leave"
A door closing startled me from behind
Just a shopkeep locking up for the night
When I turned around the man had vanished
I was now alone except for the passing shopkeep
It was impossible the man walked away so quickly
Yet it was impossible that he hadn't
His simple yet haunting words
"If you like what you see, stay, if not leave"
Whether I actually had a vision of my future self
Or I imagined the whole incident
I bought a train ticket within the hour
To this day, I've never considered returning

Mickey B
Strictsum