Adults Only

Young girls pass as they make there way to school

Heavy backpacks weighing them down

Full of school work, lunches and snacks that they packed when their parents weren’t looking

Older boys going in the opposite direction

Instead of backpacks they carry gym bags

Full of smelly cloth and shiny new basketballs

Their rowdy as they pass the small girls

One of them knocks a girl to the ground

He doesn’t even turn around

Minutes later the sound of the school bell rings throughout the town

Echoing down the empty streets

Throughout the vacant stores

A daring,middle age man across the street peaks his head out the window

And when he gives the signal

The town comes to life

Without worry

People are free to get in their cars and go to work

They smile and wave to other adults as they pass

Whistling softly, housewives begin to clean

Everyone tries to distract themselves from the inevitable

But as the last bell rings

The streets once again swarmed with acne and body odor

They hide back in their houses

Waiting till morning