Abela in Dubrovnik

Terry Collett

Abela sips her wine wipes her mouth looks around

love it here Dubrovnik she utters

I sip beer turn a page of my book poetry D. Thomas Welsh poet

lovely wine why don't you try the wine?

I like beer I reply

why do you have to read? she mutters

why do you have to talk?

she cold stares sips more wine

cigarette? I suggest

get your own she replies

I sip beer close the book

nice place this beer's good too and that girl that waitress she's good too

what's so good about her? what's she got that I've not?

I don't know not seen her undress yet

I light up a hand rolled cigarette

those two guys she tells me at the bar the other night are gay guys

I inhale hold the smoke exhale it

you think so?

it stands out a wide mile

you liked him the dark one his dark eyes wavy hair

she closes her eyelids zips her lips

what makes you think they're gay?

I saw them lip kissing she whispers

we lip kiss we hand kiss we thigh kiss we breast kiss

THAT'S ENOUGH she bellows

I think they're nice fellows I tell her not my scene but nice guys

Abela drains her wine glares at me

another wine? I ask her cigarette?

I want gin

I signal a waiter one gin please I tell him and whiskey

he goes off

she lights up a French smoke

about the girl the waitress just a joke I tell her

(but the girl the waitress occupies a small room in my mind)

how days go she utters how time flies.