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Lent Begins (Free verse) by jessicazee
Today I bartended again For the first time in six days. The sun shone through the window, five minutes into Jeopardy. My customers were Shaky Bob, who can never leave in time, calling cabs, falling down. And Lisa. But her stage name is Gemini. “I’m the only white girl who strips at Ricky’s.” “I got offered 50 bucks last night to get off the stage. Shit, yeah, I took it. But I have to work just like the other girls. Give me a break.” She tells me she isn’t the prettiest girl in the world; she smells of apples, menthol. For 45 minutes we forget where we are. “What’s your name?” “Jessica.” “That was my name before I got adopted.” Her cough sounds like mornings. “Please.” “Let’s have some Rumpleminze.” Missed the first bus. “Who do you have to screw to get a drink around here?” I reach out one arm in a half-hug. The way the light gets golden this time of day it’s hard to tell if the neon signs are plugged in, if I should turn on the fan. People keep talking about Fat Tuesday, Like they know what Lent means. Fish fry, hard-boiled eggs, different hymns. Boobs and beads, Bourbon Street. At the tavern today I played myself, the wrong song. I tell some guy he has a dirty forehead. Ash Wednesday, now, that’s something you can see.

Up the ladder: First Kiss
Down the ladder: Like a Whore {erotic}

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Arithmetic Mean: 7.5
Weighted score: 5.6723537
Overall Rank: 2054
Posted: February 3, 2005 11:10 PM PST; Last modified: February 14, 2005 5:20 PM PST
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Comments:
[9] Dovina @ 12.72.6.171 | 4-Feb-05/7:48 AM | Reply
Good story.
[n/a] Stephen Robins @ 213.146.148.199 | 4-Feb-05/8:31 AM | Reply
What a lovely world you inhabit.
[9] cowmoo @ 129.133.4.35 | 6-Feb-05/12:45 PM | Reply
I love your style, it is serene and surreal and smooth - although I am confused about the last line.
[10] *.*ReAdY To SnAp*.* @ 65.93.39.232 | 9-Feb-05/2:50 PM | Reply
haha love your poem ..10..
[n/a] jessicazee @ 205.188.117.5 > *.*ReAdY To SnAp*.* | 14-Feb-05/5:24 PM | Reply
Here's what I hope is the final edit. Thanks for your kind words. And now, I open a beer, another Monday evening.
[9] wilco @ 24.165.207.93 | 14-Feb-05/7:38 PM | Reply
"Her cough sounds like mornings": great.
Good observations here. I actually enjoyed it.
[9] INTRANSIT @ 64.12.116.67 | 16-Feb-05/3:35 PM | Reply
Yes JZ. Cruise control.
[8] zodiac @ 212.118.14.17 | 17-Feb-05/4:34 AM | Reply
This was better before.
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