The stranger said, “My name is Ken.
What can I ask the god of the universe for, for you?”

I said, “I need my husband to land a job 
that pays more bills while preserving his health.”

Ken said, “You don’t understand your plight
as a woman in our sexist world-

It’s that you never ask anything for yourself. 
Try again to tell me your personal needs.”

So I said, “Oh, then ask your god 
of the universe to save my soul.”

And that’s how I got the god of his own universe
to pray
and then leave me alone.