Canned compassion

I just saw a family meeting up with their dad.

His dad and a friend. They had been waiting on him for a bit, his wife was there and attentive.

His kids were there and attentive and excited to see him.

I just got off the train with nobody to meet me. Multiples that won’t respond to me or when they do it’s full of malice. Hatred. Or feigned indifference, worse feigned care. Canned care compassion.

Canned like a can of Coke that you pick up at a corner bodega, and find to be flat.

Canned like a can of Pepsi that’s been there for 2 years and never replaced. It’s half full, or half empty. Depending upon which side you’re sitting on. Depending on which side you grab and which side you don’t.

It’s carbonated or it’s flat. Depending on what kind of drink you like,

Carbonation or not.

But I’m missing a soda.