It’s a nice enough scene
brick walls, high ceilings

They found a body in my alley a couple days ago,

full tables of nice families
everyone smiles and drinks

the police set up blockades, their siren woke me up.

drinks without prefix
coffee, chai, latte, etc.

My roommate went downstairs to see what was happening,

and the children smile
and drink nice, sweet drinks

he ran into my neighbor. He said she was deathly pale,

and they laugh and
scream and the coffee

she said she was waiting to see if it was her sister

grinder is alive and buzzing
releasing the robust aroma

but nobody would tell her anything; she’d been waiting for two hours.

and we all perk up as a glass
shatters behind the counter

I went for a walk this morning

and everyone laughs and
smiles and the stereo plays

I didn’t see the neighbor or the police

something nice--The Beach Boys
and the adults whistle along

but there was still blood on the ground, running fifteen feet or so.

and I sing along, “Help me, Rhonda.
Help.
Help.”

05/24/2009

Author's Note: 12:39pm - a story I heard at a scene I saw

Posted on 05/24/2009
Copyright © 2024 Jason Wardell