Polish Hall, Uxbridge MA

nothing has changed
except the prices have gone up
it’s now two seventy-five
for a jack on the rocks
a bag of chips is seventy five cents
i could end up drinking here all the time
like everyone i used to drink with
twenty-five years ago
who is still drinking here
like dave parker
like sue boulanger
like rat guertin
suddenly i’m helping dave push rat’s car
out into the center of the parking lot
while it’s locked and running
and rat’s cussing us out
and we’re laughing our saggy asses off
and the car looks like it was made in 1980
and i’m wanting a cigarette bad
and it’s damn cold out here
and six drinks in one hour seems about right
all over again