In A Store Poem by Robert Eckstein

One day in a department store a baby monster approached me.
He was fanged and clawed and scaly and as cute as he could be.
He said, 'Please, sir, could you help me. I think I've lost me mum'.
I said, 'Come with me, I can help. You needn't look so glum'.

'First, let's go to the counter and have a ham-and-cheese.
'Some food will make it better'. He said, 'Oh yes, if you please'.
'Now let's go find your mother, she's got to be around'.
And somewhere in the background, there was an awful sound.

'My baby, where's my baby? He must have wandered off'.
Someone was sadly wailing, punctuated by a cough.
I took him to the info booth and yelled into the mike,
'He's right here on the mezzanine. Come get him if you like'.

She shot off of the self-serve lift and took him in her arm,
And said that she was happy that he'd come to no harm.
And said that she was grateful for everything I did;
And I could only say to her, 'I had to. He's a kid'.