and being invisible.

The arcade is full of shadows.

I'm standing in one now,

next to the Skee-Ball court.

But no one sees me.

I step in front of a scrawny guy

who looks fifteen or sixteen

in his oversize D.C. United jersey.

"Dude, help me out. I just need-"

He walks through me,

counting his tickets

out loud to himself.

A girl with blond pigtails

sucking a green lollipop

bends over to slip tokens into a driving game.

Her jean shorts ride up,

giving a glimpse of pink underwear.

I step up next to the game.

"Sorry to interrupt,

but I need a huge favor."

She plops her teeny ass

into the driver's seat

without so much as a twitch

at my voice

or my semifamous face.

As she starts to play,

I wave my hand between her and the screen.

She holds the wheel steady,

pressing the accelerator,

sucking the lollipop,

which twists her muttered curses

into drunk-sounding slurs.

I step back.

Survey the crowd.