T Bird

So i phoned an old friend just to hear his voice and keep him up to date on a few recent events
since the second grade nothing has changed
just locations and the trials of life
he is a bigger prick than i am really
always was
its not me trying to make myself sound at all better its just
he would say the same, most people would agree depending which stories were being told
who the storyteller was
and what we were drinking
months have passed without a word
when the pints get warm and flat we hear from eachother
a quick rehash of things that have transpired as if it where the same conversation exactly where it was left on a phone battery dying
missing a train
or
the worst of bad news coming earlier than expected
i dont’ ask his advice since it will only be one of my old metaphors stolen from tucked away notebooks that he has stored away when i wished to burn them
or a very fitting movie quote
its given to me anyway just from the tone of voice im using plus my accent is floating in then away from the words mixed with the blurring mass transit
a screeching mimic comes through the mobile phone scaring the strap hangers
“This is the really real world, and there aint’no coming back
abashed the Devil stood and felt how awful goodness is…
im going to work ,get some sleep you sound like death warmed over”
phone goes blank
with the faces of the commuters and tourists

Menthols and Assholes

There used to be a strip club around the corner from the Catholic school that i went to from from first to eigth grade well before any zoning laws..we would stealthfully run from the schoolyard during recess to the backside corner of this fine establishment like green berets just to sneak a cigarette or two before any of the nuns would notice we were gone
as we got older and bolder
we found we could buy wine coolers at the corner store since they looked exactly like the fruit drink bottles of the day
so the rest of the school was gossiping,playing whatever ridiculous game they could play in that time frame, we were having a drink and a smoke around the corner…
i pass the same people now all grown up
still in the neighborhood
walking their wives dog
on the hunt for their nightly fix
gladly after going separate paths then going out of this town for a long time most have forgotten those days and all the hate that had followed us
the dirty looks
the look of disdain
almost comforting as i am passed by on the avenue
as they still try to bum cigarettes from me