Wearing Distraction

Walking home in silence
you learn all sorts of things.

You're used to the headphones providing a distraction
from the noise of outside. With the headphones in,
you can't hear the drill they use
to put a hole in the wall, and
you don't recognize that it makes the same sound
as the one the dentist uses on your teeth.

You don't notice the green turning to gold
in the sunlight
because the reflections of your screens
are much more worthwhile.

Maybe this is why the excitement of
new adventures
wears off so quickly. It's masked
by the distractions of everything else.

The way makeup covers your beautiful imperfections
and perfume overwhelms your senses.
I would rather be overwhelmed by other things.

Sunsets, blue skies, cloudy days,
but all ignored in favor of distraction.

I wouldn't trade them for the world, though,
because who wants the world anyway?
Too much poverty
and politics
and unemployment
for me to deal with.

I'll stick with what I have right now,
and try to remember why
I shouldn't wear distraction.

An Interaction

Hello,
what's your name?
It's so nice to meet you,
even though I know this one conversation
will tell you nothing important about me.

I stepped way outside my comfort zone
to come to this function,
even though I have plenty of other things
that I could be doing.
Like avoiding social anxiety.

What do I have to lose by being here?
My sister says that if people don't
want to be around me,
then they aren't worth my time anyway.
Do you think you're worth my time?
Because I want to believe she's right.

But now I'm just rambling.

Can you tell that I'm out of the loop?
I generally don't talk to people;
instead I stand by the wall or my roommates
and don't bring myself to talk.
I'm trying to change that, but
it's hard work, you know.
Or do you? You seem to know what you're doing,
but maybe that's just my perception.
Do you know the meaning
of traded sweatpants,
juggled oranges,
mild conversations
and fake fights?
I imagine they mean friendship,
but I'm not really sure.

Let's never meet again,
and I'll be okay with that.
Sorry.