Exterminating Angel

by John Rocco

She changes her hair from blonde to black
and says: “Emma says I should just go over
there and fuck him. At least I’ll get laid.”
We’re the only people at the bar in the middle
of the day in a kid’s bowling alley/pool hall/
party center. I’m on my ninth free beer.
She hates the shift but makes money off
not ringing up sodas and pitchers of beer.
Fran says the place reminds him of
THE BIG LEBOWSKI
and we talk Bukowksi
with the girl who shows us
her two fake IDs but not to worry
she’ll be twenty-one next month.

She pours us big shots of Jameson.

I have a world of shit to deal with outside
but inside the glowing plastic nightmare
talking to the girl
who forgives me for the night
I attacked her in the Lakeside Lounge
I feel like we’re in that Mexican movie
EXTERMINATING ANGEL
about the high society party that goes
wrong when no one can leave the room
for no reason and they all end up turning
primitive cannibal caveman killers
killing for a chicken bone.

We have great trouble leaving.

We leave after leaving a huge bastard tip
thinking of her fake IDs
but not to worry
“One of them looks more
like me than I do” she says.
But they sometimes make you
sign your name to compare
with the license so she has to
practice the signature.


*John Rocco at MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/292819823