Utterly Helpless

The feeling you get

When cresting a hill

On an ice covered road

Seeing a coworker

In the breakdown lane

Hazards flashing

Not in any danger

But stuck

Could be the ice

Could be the tractor

Quickly assessing the situation

Knowing if you stop

You will be stuck too

Compounding the problem

The pangs of guilt

Slowly disappear realizing

If that were you, you

Wouldn’t want them

To stop either

Finish your shift

Return to work

12 hours later

Hear them telling

Their tales of woe

In the dispatch office

Adding to the conversation

By saying

You saw them stuck

And was thinking

About helping

But

#uc@ you

Which gets a good laugh

But deep deep inside

You wonder

Did you break

The final straw

To a last nerve

That is about to snap

Or was it received

In good fun

And more banter

Like that

Can be added to

The work place

This is where I’m left

Utterly helpless