Listening to the KHJ

top thirty

pop music chart

started my obsession

with rankings.

I would smash

My transiter radio

against my ear

Listen as the D.J.

Announced the highest debut

The biggest mover

Number of weeks

At number one

It wasn’t just music

I added

Weekly film grosses

To my fixations.

I loved the descriptions

Of the film’s

Box office performance

A panty waste debut or

Blockbusting opening weekend

I would find the

The daily Variety

And sneak a look

Until

The magazine seller said

“No looking. You have to buy it.”

The addiction triggered

My love of numbers

And accounting

The way debits

And credits

Balance

Help form parts of

My controlling personality

The numbers were

Dancing in my head.

I felt validated

That the song

Or film

I loved

Reached the heights

Was I trying to rank

Moments in my life

Or people?

I felt

My organization skills

On fire

Sorting through

Success versus failure

And now my novels

Have ramped up my

Number obsession

The Amazon #

Makes me fly.