[lit-ideas] Re: Sunday Poem
- From: Robert.Paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Robert Paul)
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: 10 Oct 2004 21:06:38 PDT
"Two tall grande Americanos, with room."
I thought, "Let me say this about that."
--Gertrude Stein
I thought, two grande Americanos walked into Price's, sat down at the bar,
rolled up their shirtsleeves and ordered two shots of room.
"Room?" said Price.
" ...heard me," said the tallest Americano.
Price didn't budge. He looked the tall Americano in the eye and said, "Most of
us around here say _rum_."
"I thought this was a bar," said the other Americano, "not a goddamn MLA
convention." He had dark hair and an scar on his forehead.
"Suit yourself," said Price. "We got Jim Beam, John Jameson, Jonnie Walker red
and black, Old Bonnie Brae, and 180 proof Demerara rum, but we got no room."
"Listen to him," said the tall Americano. "He says he's got no room." He
gestured at the empty tavern. "No room, huh?"
"You think you're pretty funny, don't you?" said Price. He picked up a towel and
began polishing the glasses on the bar. "I can fix you two tough boys a Shirley
Temple," he said.
"Shirley Temple? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Ginger ale. Dash of grenadine. Some people--kids mostly--like an orange slice."
"Come on," said the dark Americano. "Let's get out of here. This is some kind of
preverted faggoty bar."
"Look, Price, or whatever your name is," said the tall Americano, "you got any
beer?"
"I told you what we got," said Price.
The tall Americano looked out the window. It was beginning to rain. The
raindrops began to streak the windows of the tavern and the red neon sign was
blurred through the glass. I never got any room, he thought. No room, anywhere.
Never. Many people though had no room. It made him said to think about all the
people with no room outside with their cats in the rain.
"I'll have a Shirley Temple," he said. "And a shot of rum on the side."
Robert Paul
Mutton College
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