venturing out, early morning -
closer to pre-noon - for smokes
and beer. seeing the gathered
rain in ditches, watching how it
flows by how the mud ebbs.
standing at side of road waiting
to cross as a layer of water develops
on jacket. gas station, gave the
woman a ten. she returned a ten and
three saying it was a twenty given;
corrected her, felt like a ****. left the
ten on counter and exited. standing,
waiting to cross again, cop, cop. they
continued on. ( funny, the things
noticed after a long night ) crossed the
road and walking in a self-conscious
manner, cop. sharp right through
apartment complex onto washed-out
back alley. an old stomping ground.
came up sixty five cents short for beer,
and owner smiled,
        'We'll scrape it out of
               the vacuum.'
not sure if he understood the
magnitude of my appreciation.