“hey, do you have a cigarette?”
“no, man, sorry, I don't.”
“are you sure?
can you check, maybe?”
“I'm sure.”
“but, you didn't check!
can you please check?”
is it a failure of the mind
or a failure of the soul
if you cannot begin to
seem to
care?
and is there any value,
in making an effort?
“man, listen, I've never smoked in my life.
it's unlikely that I have a cigarette on me.“
“but, you didn't check!
check your pockets;
maybe that one!
please!”
hard to say no to those eyes.
eyes so wild and free,
they never learned how to focus;
shifting from me, to the street,
to the pigeons, to the sky,
back to me.
I tap my pockets,
with arms stretched out theatrically,
until we both hear the distinct ring
of some loose change.
he grins at me,
his eyes gleaming.
defeated,
I hand over the coins,
grinning back at him.
______
