Crank (Crank 1)

from Chase, told Mom I was going with Sarah.

It was the first time in a long time I’d out and out

lied and it bothered me. For about five minutes.

I walked down to the 7-Eleven to wait for Chase,

anticipation rumbling in my empty gullet.

The sight of his red Toyota pickup brought

a smile to my lips—and more, inside.

We shared a seat, we shared a smoke,

we shared a kiss or several.

At school, Chase waited with me in some long

lines. Yearbook. Class schedule. Student body card.

I even smiled for the camera. I had to, with Chase

checking out my student body, grinning like a toad.

Back in the truck, more kisses and a cigarette of my

own (pilfered from his pack, pilfered from his mom).

He dropped me off around the corner from my house,

gave me a stick of gum and a big, wet good-bye kiss.

It might have been the perfect day except just

as I closed the door, Scott happened

to drive by.

I learned a valuable lesson about lie construction

and Mom gave me plenty of time to consider

how to do it better.

GUFN Again

I

sat on my bed, absentmindedly

tracing the lopsided

heart-shaped scar,

didn’t

read, didn’t write. All I did