On my balcony I watched a child

play with an imaginary friend,

and while texting my own friends

I laughed and laughed at him.

Then the kid starting slow dancing

with his little invisible partner,

‘how cute’ I thought to myself

while texting some girl.

The boy then started talking, talking to it

this intangible person of his mind

but I had seen enough

and had all my laughs.

So I stood up

went inside

started my shift

of talking, talking

into a computer screen.

After work

I sat in my car scrolling

scrolling until my phone

grew a face on the back

that scowled and hissed

and laughed at me.

So with tears in my eyes

I threw the phone

in the glove compartment,

then I drew a nicer

friendlier face

on the wind shield,

it was the second realest thing

I’d seen all day –

right behind that boy’s imaginary friend.