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Anne Pepper
Location: Bloomington, Indiana
Email: aepepp@aol.com
Published in: 2nd River Press, The Melic Review, Eclectica, 3rd bed, PW Review, Vowel Movement
HALFLIFE OF SMOKE
I still had a key, knew
the obvious combination, same
as my old address. Had committed
a minor crime earlier, seeing
you pass a note to a stringy blond
via sticky tray. I gagged and
felt your ring's absence, a month
in absentia. Put my seventh glass
down and howled with laughter,
a cry of mercy unrecognized.
My ex-waitress muscles felt
the weight of the reply, the coy play
at fragility, worth. My thumb
curled into its opposing palm. Stoli
and cranberry sweating itself out.
I played at vehicular suicide
at closingtime, drove into jumping curbs,
disheveled mulch. Strutted to our ex-
door listening to TV buzz behind it. Blew
a smokecloud in through opened door.
That cloud never left.