she slides
a smudged shot class down the bar.
I catch it before it leaps its last
onto the warped floor.
"I feel so bad for you"
Fire rises to my throat
but I extinguish it with my spirit.
"I wish there was something I could do"
"That must be awful"
"You're so strong"
"You'll get through it"
"I'm so sorry"
The sober hearted woman wasted me.
I tilt to my feet
slapping not enough cash on the bar.
I try to say I'll never come back
but apparently my tongue isn't drunk enough.
Instead, I stumble speechless into the night.
I hate her, but she's better than drinking alone.