Falling in love

is so innocent

like a deep breath or laughter

over a glass of wine

-------

I dug around in my head, scraping out barnacles of shitty things and wondering why I ever went to college in the first place, or drank beer, or drove from bar to bar in a rut after he left me.

I had a few bucks and a banged up Toyota and no reason to sit home when I might find a great guy waiting for me near a jukebox somewhere. He would be next to an empty coaster and dying for someone like me to shove a buck in the box and play Sugaree.

I found a guy alone and should have left him there.

Wanna a drink? he asked.

We drank a few.

Hungry? he asked.

How about a shot? I answered.

Hours later as he leaned inside my driver's door, grabbing for me, I pushed a long, flat-headed screwdriver against his ribs and told him to get out.