to Pinball
My wife knows you
and your way of waiting
in the corner and on the wall
for any sex or age enough to stock you.
She’s seen me lean into you,
pressing your buttons
as I make you flip
and roll and spin
as I try to guess a multiple of ten,
or to last long enough ---
whichever gets me you for free.
I can last longer on three dollars
than twenty if you pretended to care.
Otherwise, no one says much.
The girl at the counter: “More quarters, sir?”
My wife: “Don’t be gone too long,”
and “When’s it our turn?”
from three guys and a woman
whose dates won’t mind
being brushed off all evening.
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