My girl and I were 3/4’s of the way
Through sharing a cigarette
When the old man
On the stool to the right of me
Said
“You can’t smoke in here.”
“Really?”
I questioned.
“We thought because there was a pail sitting here on the bar in front of us filled with sand
and cigarette butts that it was ok to smoke.”
“Add the fact that this is a seedy dive beach bar.”
“Nap.”
“You can smoke around the outside of the bar, but not in here.”
“Doesn’t make much of a difference though, as the smoke comes in here anyway.”
“Sorry.”
I said
Adding the cigarette butt
To the overflow in the pail.
“It’s alright.”
“I smoked since I was fourteen.”
“You don’t smoke now?”
I asked him.
“Nap.”
He was an old barfly
With intelligent nostalgic eyes
And a sweet face.
“Haven’t smoked in a year and a half.”
I wanted to say
“Good for you!”
But he continued talking
“I wasn’t a heavy smoker, but I always smoked when I drank...”
He gestured to the
Pale yellow beer
Sitting in the pint glass
In front of him.
He continued...
“I remember when cigarettes were eighteen cents a pack...my brother would drive down to
Maryland to buy them cuz they were so much cheaper...until gas prices became too ex-
pensive and it wasn’t worth it anymore...he would make a little money doing that...”
“Eighteen cents a pack! Now they’re nine dollars!!! Goddamn taxes! They tax the little guy
for everything.”
He shook his head.
He really wanted to keep talking
And he did.
I like bars without TV’s.
He worked his gums until we left
His eyes sparkling.
“It was nice meeting you both.”
He told us.
I shook his hand.
On our way out to the boardwalk
I stopped the bartender
And asked her how much a beer was.
“Depends on what you’re drinking?”
She replied.
“What that old guy over there is drinking.”
I pointed.
“$2.50.”
“I want to buy him a beer.”
I told her.
She reached for a glass.
“But I don’t want you to bring it to him until he’s finished with the one he’s working on.”
She put the glass down.
“That’s really sweet.”
She said.
I handed her some cash.
“I’ll tell him.”
She offered.
“No. Don’t. Just give it to him when he’s finished. If you want, you can tell him then.”
I left there feeling good.
Sometimes
It’s the smallest of charities
That makes one feel warm and fine
Rinsing the sins out.
Rinsing the sins out.
My girl and I arrived out into the salty air
The sound of amusement rides
The glittering dischord of lights
Laughter
Screams.
The warmth of her hand in mine.
I watched her with a grin
As she lit a cigarette
Took a drag
And passed it to me
With a smile and a wink.
“That was a really nice thing you did back there.”
She told me.
I handed the cigarette back to her
Exhaling.
I was feeling mighty fine then
And kissed her cigarette mouth.
