lucky only had a few By Albi James

     ’cause I was on my way to shit-faced

           - let whatever happens happen -

when Joe yells phone

               it was - no kidding - an interview -

Big Joe saying hurry the hell up

         me frowning, holding up a finger                    

     then plugging an ear

                                turning my back

I bought Joe a drink

                 bought Jean-Guy a drink

     bought Yvette two drinks

bought myself three

          then hauled-ass to the airport

     without even stopping at my room

               - why take chances

                                         au revoir Montréal

                                              two days later

middle of the bush, northern Alberta

          half hung-over - buncha snot-nosed kids

                       looking up from desks

   how long - seemed like forever

           seems like never -

                         in a trailer with some tight-ass

                                                                  named Bob -

                                      - no damn change of clothes

                              - musta been a month

           before I found a decent game -

     until we take the kids down to Edmonton 

                                                    for a good time

           and they promise not to tell - they promise -

  so I show a couple videos

                                            - nothing real bad

          and Christ nothing they haven’t seen a million times

     but money in my pockets now

          - everybody says I owe them

                  but hell they were drunk at the time

                              Bob’s always calling Joe’s

          wants fifteen hundred for phone bills

     - it was no fifteen hundred -

                   I tell him I can’t even work

             ’cause some heavy guys

                                broke both my legs

       and he doesn’t phone anymore

Albi James (pseudonym) lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  He has been a labourer, musician, and teacher – not necessarily in that order. His poems have appeared most recently in In Parentheses and Literary Yard.