He and she

Sitting, a sack of potatoes, staring, eyes-glaze gone, one single thing on mind, then regaining consciousness quickly: "hey, you got a cigarette?"

"50 cents, 10 for 3 bucks, a pack for 5 dollars," claiming status as the cigarette-lady.

The answer, I heard a thousand times. So, you get this one for free, the next time you know the deal; they all do, but what, not having anything, thrown in this heaven of safety, life re-starts, doing what he does best, scam.


I gave him two, his girlfriend, she, needed one too. Quieting my inner heartache, negotiating, being the business-man, they portray me to be. Knowing all to well, three months ago, I was in this similar situation, still having one pack, giving them away for free. Ruining myself, forced to panhandling, begging for a butt, hating the person I become.

So, giving one or two for free, sometimes leaving some in the ashtray. A blissful discovery for the butt-end hunters, not having to beg for a zig-zag paper, squeezing tobacco bits, rolling into a sainted fag, inhaling, coughing and spluttering. Just lighting one for free, god be blessed, I'm feeling lucky today, hey!

"We've been sleeping in the park for a month now, a cougars, ate a raccoon, only a few inches from our tent, terrified, not been able to rest after that incident. You should have heard the bones crashing and the pray screaming for life, been torn from him, he says."

"Enjoy the cigarette, you're safe here." And she, raped as a child, forced into whoring, before I saved her from her pimp....The stories continued, not making sense to me, whatsoever.

Holly Moses the next day I saw her in the bushes, performing tricks, and yes the were able to buy a few fags, as when he lowered his socks, the true nature of their problems revealed itself. The blue and purple swollen legs of a dragon-chaser.

She must be very good because they were high the entire time they stayed in the shelter. Heroine, my lord, my savior, they swore, onto the next fix. Not wondering, while staying out for a day and a night, making it back to the shelter, discovering, that their life-remaining awaited them, by the front door.  Oops, forgotten to tell, they also where staying in another shelter.

Back to the family of cougars in the park, for sure....