SAM'S SUGAR.

[dadio]

Sam lies on his bed, smoking a cigarette,
Listening to the couple in the apartment
Upstairs. He hears raised voices, feet
Stomping. The guy bellows, the woman
Shouts back, the mutt barks. Sam intakes
On his cigarette. The guy upstairs laughs,
The woman screams, the mutt whines.
Silence follows. Sam exhales smoke into
His room. He hears the bedsprings from
Upstairs bang away, laughter, moans,
The mutt’s tail hitting the floor above.
Sam looks at the ceiling, notices, cobwebs,
Dust on the light shade. He inhales on his
Cigarette. The bed above stops banging.
There are whispering voices, the mutt whines
Again. There are footsteps on the floor,
Someone has got out of bed. The mutt
Jumps up and down excitedly. Sam sighs.
Exhales smoke. Someone’s taking the mutt
For a walk down the stairs and out and along
The block. More footsteps on the floor above.
Someone else is out of bed. Sam looks across
At the window: light, daylight, sun, blue sky.
Someone is on the stairs. There is a knock
On his door. Who is it? Sam asks. Louise from
Upstairs, the dame replies. What do you want?
Sam asks. Can I borrow sugar? She asks. Sam
Gets off the bed and opens the door. How much
You need? Just a cupful, she replies. Cupful,
Huh, ok, better come in, says Sam leading the
Way to his kitchen. The dame follows. Sam pours
Her a cup of sugar. Anything else? No, not today,
She replies in her sexy voice. Sam notices her
White tank top and her short ass hugging skirt.
She smiles at him, her eyes on him. Humphrey’s
Taken the dog for a walk, she says. Yes, I heard,
Sam says. He notes love bites on her neck, her
Flushed face. Well, better go, she says. Yeah,
Better go, Sam says. She goes off with the cup
Of sugar, and Sam watches her wiggling ass up
The stairs. What will it be next time? Milk, coffee,
Beans, cheese, butter, sex? He closes his door,
The cigarette’s ended, he sighs, his life’s a bore.