combination of the ones
I once worked at
seeing the faces of old friends
people that act like
they once knew me
all the instant friends of alcohol
the owners are there
one is happy to see me
the other isn't
the bar is swamped
I try to help
run back in the kitchen
around the front
collecting glasses
I stop a guy at the front door
with boxes of National Geographic
some frat guys helping him
putting colored threads
between the pages
I ask him what's up
he tells me vaguely
that he's going to hand them out
I ask
for free or to sell
he says
eventually to sell
tell him he can't do that
it's solicitation
he blows me off
acts like he's going to give them away
I tell them he can't
try to find the owners
to let them know
what is going on
they are both nowhere
to be found
people are looking to me
to solve the problem
I decide I don't care
and leave to another bar
down the street
sitting down with a girl
that I once worked with
music comes on
she asks me to dance
we start dancing
in a sexual way
but innocent
my last girlfriend shows up
all made up and beautiful
I smile and keep dancing
she follows us across the floor
then runs off
I stop and follow her
I find her and ask
what's wrong
she tells me
you are not irreplaceable yet
