715

“I’m a little bit bloated. It’s the medicine and cheap coffee. Now, don’t laugh at that. It’s not so funny. I know alcohol doesn’t help. Yes, yes, yes. Well, I’m not unhappy as much as I am terminally bored.”

he called me up
on his way to Iowa
to see his little baby
a sweet girl with a sweet mother

he starts to cry when I ask
about the drive
he tells me

“My car is making this awful sound. Clang clang clank clung. I don’t know what it means and I’m so goddamn, so fucking close.”

it’s all okay, my friend
what else to say to a man
trapped on a highway at midnight
at least he is seeing his sweet baby

at two in the morning
he leaves a message on my machine

“It broke down. I’m staying at this motel off exit 73 or something. It’s so late. I’ll let you know.”

He sounded a little bit relieved
maybe
it’s because I saw him the next day
in town
flirting with this cashier
he was pulling on her hair
and blowing smoke out the corner
of his crooked mouth
I hear him say such great things about love
about being in love
I just drink tea
and pretend he’s still in Iowa
with his sweet baby