There Really is a Bottom By Don Robishaw

You’re on the road to tent city with our friend Fran.

  It’s the path to hard ground.

 Five minutes from tents remove wine from brown sack.

  Again fill skin to the brim.

 Four minutes from tents what can you do?

 What’s the word? 

  Thunderbird! 

 What’s the price?

  Thirty twice. 

 Tip back and squeeze.

What’s next?

 Stop one minute from tent city.

  Make love on hard ground, 

 under bridge over bottomless river.

  Fran refuses my fin, 

 later she cry. 

Christ Sakes man that vet ain’t no hoe.

 Rest on granite stone, 

  don’t look at each other,

 We shiver, 

  Who is Malcolm? 

 Fran asks as she touches ink on my arm.

  Sorry darlin’ never talk bout Malcolm.

 Turn to stare, 

  stare out at the muddy river. 

Willie you mean bottomless river.

  No bro there really is a bottom,

 and it looks like Fran and me.

Don Robishaw’s collection of five FF tales found in, ‘Bad Road Ahead’ was the Grand Winner in Defenestrationism, 2020 Flash Fiction Suite Contest.

Don’s short story entitled,’Bad Paper Odyssey’ was a semi-finalist in Digging Through the Fat 2018 Chapbook Contest.