© Sauce*Box, Fall 1997. All rights
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we almost stepped on larry
by Michael
McNeilley
he was lying in the hallway
between the bathrooms
as we headed back
from the card room
to the bar
we knew he was larry
he had a blue shirt on
that said so
the bar was loud with
good blues and we wanted
to get back
but she had to see
why he was lying there
I just figured
he had his own reasons
for not wanting to get up
but later I decided
I liked her for that
we split my last
percodan and had
some more jack
she said
tell me something
I don't know
and I told her how
a motorcycle
saved my life once
we were sitting
on the curb out front kissing
when the ambulance
showed up
somebody called 911
the band was playing
buried alive in the blues
they'd opened the doors
to cool night air
some NA people
had checked larry
for a rig
he didn't have one
as they put him on
the gurney she was
licking my upper lip
saying this is
so good
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