I walk the trail with great seriousness and intent

Until I get around the bend,

And just as I'm starting to descend the hill,

I see the big house with the two and a half foot statue of the fat smiling Buddha in the front.

The smile on his face is very big,

And his shoulders are shrugged

And both his hands are up over his head to either side,

As if to say, "I don't know,"

Or "Maybe?"

Or perhaps the Jolly Buddha is just saying, "Whatever."

But either way,

Even though I am on my way to the market,

I do not wish to kill this Buddha.

Rather I want to smile back at him, and so I do.

I put both my hands up over my head too

And say, "Yeah, whatever, dude."

-jenn