At first I tried to ignore them,

afraid that any attention I might lavish

would get one of them thinking I wanted to buy their wares
– not something I wanted to deal with in my neighborhood.

When they kept up their sales tactics through the pandemic, though,
I started trying to engage in conversation.
I approached an older lady.
She was dressed relatively modestly:
tight jeans, tight metal t-shirt, and open coat.
It was winter, so the coat was necessary.

“How’s business?” I asked.
“Not bad,” she said carefully. She’d seen me around. I wasn’t a narc.
“You seeing the same kinds of customers these days? The same kinds?”
She nodded thoughtfully, walking off.
“The dongs remain the same.”

I watched her go, dumbfounded.