nicotine and the ways of the universe

Today I watched a homeless woman
stash her belongings in the bushes
at the park while I sat eating chips

She asked me to watch her stuff
while she went over to the bottle-o
to buy one can of bourbon and coke
that I watched her drink
thinking how inappropriate it was
that I wanted to bum a smoke off her
when I had the money to buy my own
(ignoring the fact that I don’t smoke anymore)

We got to talking over the ducks
picking at someone’s discarded pizza
on the ground

Four hours later
and we’d discussed the universe
I bought a cigarette off her for a $1
(‘cause even the poor have pride)
and made the $3.35 in her pocket
$4.35 – enough to buy her dinner
and a cigarette for me to break the month
since the last time I gave in to the lure
of nicotine

© Indie Adams 2012