Possum in a Peanut

Of all the things in this store—

packs of art supplies, joke collections,

a ceramic dish shaped like an alligator—

the kid chooses this.
A plastic possum, mid-smile, stuffed in a peanut,
wheels tucked beneath its shell,

a promise printed on the box:

Pull them back… Watch them go!

The kid grabs it off the shelf,

laughing like it’s the best thing in the world—
he holds it up to his dad, eyes full of wonder.

“Watch it go!” he says,

and with a flick of his hand,

the tiny wheels stutter across the counter.

I imagine a designer somewhere,

drafting the blueprint for this absurdity,

testing prototypes in a quiet room,

wondering if the world really needs it.

But the kid tugs at his dad’s sleeve,

laughing as the possum shudders forward.

And in this moment, yes,

the world needs exactly this.

Deland, Florida