it feels so good to be superior

and the wise listen, to the fool speak

I give advice, to two young men, who pretend to be interested

because it’s polite

because they are trapped with me, on a day hike

I am trapped with them

I feel so good that I’m not 21

they don’t have a clue

and when they tell me that older people do

I laugh and say, “Older people don’t have a clue!”

they’re obsessed with their cell phones, and say, “that’s right, you don’t have a smart phone”

like they’re superior to me, and I find their arrogance annoying

like they find my wisdom annoying

later, I account my hike with my friend, and say, “You have a gift man—you genuinely enjoy spending time with most people.”

Even though, both boys listened to me

I felt disgusted in their presence, and I don’t know why

Maybe, it was because I couldn’t get away from them

and they pretended to know things, when they didn’t know anything

one pretended to be an investor—who had made wise decisions

but he drove a car that was about ready to die, and he lived with his parents

Maybe, I was disgusted

that they reminded me of me

when I was 21

and I take comfort,

that I’m not who I used to be.