Bankrupt

6. BANKRUPT

I picked up a prostitute.
"60 quid all night"
I was told.
she was shivering,
I was drunk.
I didn't really have 60 quid.
So we agreed on 50.
50 quid!
first I bought her
tea,
fags,
milk
and tic-tacs.
It was part of the deal.
her place had no carpets
and her bed was
chaotic.
I passed out,
but made sure
my 50 quid didn't
go to waste
when dawn broke.
she gave me her number.
I threw it in a drain.
It hurt as I watched
the paper
rebound and ricochet
off the metal bars, and
disappear into the
filthy water.
50 quid
I thought:
"50 fuckin quid".