I was taking a walk the other day, through this neighbourhood I knew a kid in. The souls of my shoes kissed furtively in the dark, and tangled their laces together like lovelorn fingers intertwined by fate. I had no money on me, and everything to lose. It was a sunny day, the clouds were blue and the metal fences were cool enough to handle. There were cars strolling the streets, free as birds. And ladybugs flying across the bridge of my nose. I remember, sirens, and heat, and yelling, like when Ma guesses the price at the tv. I found on a penny in the streets, and saw an old woman across the road, walking around in a small circle. She was young, but ugly, and her skin was pockmarked with violent red acne. She was the the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, like a movie star. Her back was crooked and her fingers were stained yellow with age, maybe nicotine. There had been a blue cop car sitting on its ass, idling by the curb, picking its teeth with a crowbar. I'd crossed the road to the young woman. I wanted to help her. Her arthritic hands were scrabbling in her pockets. Her black hair was grizzled like old rope. Hello ma'am, how may I hope you? She turned to me and I saw heaven and earth in her eyes, and her smile was as grave as a baby deer. Yes, you have lost something. She reached out with her paper soft hands and wrapped her bony fingers around my knuckles, like a garland of youth around my tired soul. Now I remember the blue, and the wheeze of the cop car's engine. I remember when the sky pooled under my fingers and red spilled across my face. Ma's gonna yell at me for making that wine stain. You'll never guess the price.
