Leaving the fabric store,
she stoops with the weight
of unmade clothes in a white plastic bag.
I watch from my car,
parked at Good Foods Coop
across the wide street.

I read sorrow in her shoulders
that bend to manage
her ballooning bag in the breeze.
I give her thoughts: “What kind of world
doesn’t have a fabric store,
for crying out loud?”
“What do I do now?”

Later I remember
her aggrieved elbows
and give her thoughts
in different colors:
“I always hated that old place.
Hated sewing.
And it just kept getting worse,
all those fake fabrics
and chintzy geegaws that broke
if you looked at them.
Good riddance.
Maybe I won’t have to sew any more
after I finish these last things.
I wish I hadn’t even bought this old mess.”

Whatever her thoughts, I want her to know
what Cheryl Truman wrote in the Lexington Herald-Leader.
I want her to know about GAG:
“The nation’s Hancock Fabrics stores
are holding going-out-of-business sales,
according to a news release
issued by the Great American Group, an asset-disposition company. 
‘Now, our task will be
discounting all of the merchandise in the stores
until it is completely liquidated,’
said Scott Carpenter,
president of the Great American
retail solutions division.
‘Loyal customers and the general public
will be able to shop in the stores
and receive significant savings
on a wide variety of quality merchandise,
just in time
for their prom and bridal purchases.'”

I send the loyal customer a thought balloon:
Great American Group invites you
to keep your disposition as you—a Great American yourself—
take part in the Hancock Fabrics retail solution.
Please liquidate your loyalty,
if you don’t mind,
now that you have helped GAG sell every last asset,
every stitch of discounted quality merchandise.
Have fun at prom and enjoy the wedding.