Rakoski, "Driving into Abilene, Texas, April 17, 1947"


The sun rose here at 6:07 a.m.
The weather, patchy fog,
mostly sunny later, Highs 69-75.
The fellows at THE PERFECT AUTO SHOP
are kidding around, feeling chipper. . .
                   . . . like having four aces,
The phone rings.
A voice at the other end says:
"I need a quote on a water pump."
"You need a quote?"
(from one of the aces)
"I'll give you a quote:
'To be or not to be,
that is the question.'"
           and hangs up!
A minute later
the phone rings back.
A perky voice replies:
"To sleep, perhaps to dream."
             and hangs up!
In Abilene?
These guys have been
watching the moon too long.
Carl Rakosi

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