schvetybetty

from 3.7.95

Laundry, and at 10:15 am a drunken boat of a man with a 2-day old shiner looked at me hard
and asked me if I had some kids-
'no kids.'
'you like suckers?'
'yeah, i like suckers.'
He handed me a little brown bag full of Saf-T-Pops
and said
'don't say nobody wasn't nice to ya taday.'
Then he winked
and asked if I 'wanted a beer taday?'
 'no, not today.'
He tried to tell me how to win at the Pick 3, but he got distracted,
or noticed me trying to avoid his
tangible breath,
and wafted away.
At Zeiden's Pharmacy soda fountain, the retired lady scraping the grill
was singing along to
'Sentimental Journey.'
I pictured her at my age,
and picked at my Reuben.