She sat outside a hookah bar

nondescript

small place in the center of

a low income district

sipping ice tea spiked with

shots of rum she’d

bought for

99 cents

a liquor store

with bars on the windows

–

she blew smoke rings that

came out like puff balls and

ate cheap

over-salted curry

–

sirens sang beyond

a tagged and tattered stop sign

examined from

behind the tint

of too large shades

–

the chairs were black iron and they

hurt her ass

after awhile

she nursed the hose anyway

readjusting every so often

–

she’d get sick

off the stuff and the alcohol

causing her to slump and

go pale

the cramps in her stomach

made her want to vomit

she did

drawing dour expressions

–

phlegm coated tongue

stringing from

made up lips to

gastric mess beside her

–

withdrawing a pack of cigarettes

packing them

between painted hands

beginning to chip

placing one

in her mouth

lighting it

*snikt*

–

she’s been here too long

wants to go home

but

nobody’s there and

she gets lonely

–

gets dark

takes another drag off the hose

before

catching a cab

tells him to take her to

a coffee shop

near her place

–

orders a venti

heads outside

leaning against a brick wall

staring at street lamps

–

walks down the street

people pass in file

gaze averted

angled down

–

comes to her complex

heads in through

large doors and

up a flight of stairs

–

enters her apartment

goes to the washroom

raids the open medicine cabinet

a bottle

pills

–

paces to bedroom

takes a handful

washes it down with

white wine from

the night stand

–

turns on tv

lies on bed

haze of sleep creeps on

from

the blind spot

of her

periphery

–

her last thought

before fading out

i’m still hungry