You enter a cramped shop filled with bric-a-brac.
The musty smell of old parchment invades your nose as
more ephemera comes into focus, large and small-
A candelabra, a chipped set of commemorative dishware,
a box overflowing with tiny gears.
You hear a rustle and notice several
large birdcages hanging from the ceiling
filled with inhabitants pecking and preening.
Riffle through the shelves.
A loud squawk fills the room.
You realize that hidden amongst the clutter sits a woman
adorned in extravagant accessories and an irritable scowl.
The sound didn’t come from the birds but from
the ostentatious figure herself.
You get the sense that you weren’t supposed
to have the combination for this lock after all.
Maybe it's best to move on and find the
door you’re actually looking for.
Exit the shop while avoiding eye contact.