Yes of course

Yes of course ? Alan Smith 2003

no one knew where
or how she lived
or why she chose their town
for 24 hours
every month

she entered town invisibly
for her monthly ritual:
sat in the bar at midday
perched alone on the stool
furthest from the taps

not beautiful, nor did she try
her long red hair
extinguished by a bun
stunning blue eyes
bottled in glass

her dress hung loose
like a maternity hand-me-down
a cardigan cloaking her arms
into parrot wings
and sneakers

her naturally loud voice
almost screeched
when lubricated
her single attraction:
availability

while men joked cruelly about her
she sat with patience
knowing that alcohol
and time
made her beautiful

familiar voices were the loudest
their jokes
the cruelest
hiding past indiscretions
from no one

they knew the unspoken rules
first to move wins lady
the price: to be the butt
of other drinker's humour
and so she stayed alone for hours

she returned the publican's wink
not a come-on
but reflecting
how good she was
for business

she felt a change around her
smelt the testosterone tap
turn on slowly
knew her time had come
before the movement

'may i join you?'
'yes, of course you may'.
contract sealed on first offer
thought they remained there
one hour more

the scent of sex stirs up the crowd
would-be white ants dash for one last try
more handsome, richer, smoother than he
and later, too late
too slow