venus

the day on venus is longer than the year on venus.

walt told me this while i was correcting the label on the cinnamon rolls. it said cinnamon rolls, which was true, but the tape was crooked by the width of a crumb. walt said venus turns so slowly that one day there takes longer than one trip around the sun. i said that sounded like a planet designed by a landlord.

then i looked it up on the break room computer and found fifty-eight pages about venus. fifty-eight. every page had a different picture of the same yellow rock wearing clouds like it had something to hide. i went back to the label and fixed it again.

the roll tray had not moved. the clock had moved. the sun had moved somewhere i couldn't see, and venus was still taking its time with one day.

walt said, "you can leave it."

i corrected the label one last time. the day on venus is longer than the year on venus.