Bottoms Up. by Sheree La Puma

He called her
    A bitch.
    Told her Neiman Marcus
    Was running
    An October special
    On restraw jobs
    For flying single seater vehicles.
    They all laughed,
    Especially the fleshy, mildewed ones.
    It made their hearts race,
    Which is more
    Than sex had done
    In the last thirty years,
    But then she countered,
    “Must have been a local special.
    Our Neiman’s featuring
    Petite G-Strings
    In rhinestone, leather and silver lame.
    What’s your preference?”
    It made the hoary one’s groan.
    They were protective
    Of their mentor,
    After all, it was merely custom,
    Standard indoctrination,
    Belligerent routine,
    & they were all friends,
    Intimates – drinking
                             Life
                             Away at Earl’s
                             On Sunset.

Previously Published at The Mad Swirl

Sheree La Puma is an award-winning writer whose personal essays, fiction and poetry appeared in such publications as Burningword Literary Journal, I-70 Review, Crack The Spine, Mad Swirl, The London Reader, Gravel, Foliate Oak, and Ginosko Literary Review, among others. She received an MFA in Writing from California Institute of the Arts and taught poetry to former gang members. Born in Los Angeles, she now resides in Valencia, CA with her rescues, Bello cat and Jack, the dog.