How Are You?

A very short piece that popped out....

How are you?

Jody Swaney

04/12/2011

The waitress made her way to the table with coffee pot in hand. I slid the coffee cup forward and she asked “How are you?” as she filled it. Looking at her I answered.

If words were colors, and I was an artist..

Today my pallet would be bold,

and my brush would be broad.

Specifics would be irrelevant, and

the fine detail brush would be dry and unused.

Bright green, overwhelming blue, and fire engine red.

pupil searing yellow, and road worker orange.

These would be the colors of todays spectrum.

Mouths would be slashes of black,

Eyes, round red craters, like

mortar rounds carelessly tossed into the

top half of faces.

It’s spring in California and my soul.

I want to drink huge blue Margaritas.

I want to eat Nachos with Jalapenos even if my a*s will burn tomorrow.

Tomorrows colors may be muted, but not today.

Today we are festive, right down to the vulgarly

painted 79 Monte Carlo with air ride suspension.

Today is loud music and flip flops,

barking dogs and butterflies, cab rides and

carelessly tossed smouldering cigarettes.

If I were a woman the skirt would be short,

legs bare, and panties a thong.

I would be muscle shirt, hard n*****s, and no bra.

Today is a too much sun, too much booze,

too much spent, and nothing to lose, sort of day.

“But, how are you?” I asked the startled waitress.

“Not that damn good.” she mumbled as she walked away