Glass (Crank 2)

Only one thought comes

readily to mind.

I Get Home

A little before four. The house

is dark. Silent. Everyone fast

asleep. Except me, of course.

Rather than chance waking up

Hunter, I think I’ll run on down

to the all-night convenience

mart and pick up an application.

Almost every kid in the valley

works at the Sev for a month or two,

while waiting to go off to college,

get married, or find a better job. It

pays minimum wage, and the work

sucks, but beggars cannot be choosers.

I park off to one side, check out who’s

inside. Believe it or not, there’s a guy

playing a slot machine. They have slots

in Nevada 7-Elevens. And grocery

stores, airports. Anywhere people get bored.

Even up-all-night bored. Turns out I know

the guy behind the counter. Grady’s a year

older than me and a total loser type.

He’ll probably never work anywhere

but at the Sev, which is doubtless

just fine by him. “Hey, Grady,” I say.

He gives me a total loser smile,

the kind that gives you the creeps.

Hey, Kristina. You’re up early.