Best Buy
from When a Lion is Chasing You, a collection of poetry
from When a Lion is Chasing You, a collection of poetry
In the Mission a woman
young, somewhere between 19 and 24 crosses the street, stops halfway Confusion sweeps her pallid face she turns back, turns again makes it all the way over She wears the prettiest white party dress hanging lopsided stiff, clean, like she went out to a party the night before a naked body beneath, feet bare the only color a red splash of pimples across her face She emerges from a parking lot outside a Best Buy, herself looking not a best buy, like she got raped and thrown out of a car or back alley maybe Stumbling unsteadily, she continues up the street Do you need help? I call out the car window She darts a disdainful glance, waves me away the flap of her hand drugged-annoyed face dazed and angry not a you’re-ruining-my-high but a where-am-I Her stride is quick, fierce She’s on a mission in the Mission going somewhere even if it’s nowhere |