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