Turquoise Panties

I pulled a pair of striped turquoise panties out of
the just finished commercial
in the crowded laundromat

Definitely not mine and I
had no recollection of pulling them
off a girl or seeing them on
my floor so I discreetly
threw them in the dryer with
my soiled, torn drawers.

I'm not claiming to be a player but
enough so those could have multiple
owners a
veritible choose your own adventure
of asses to cover

and despite the comfort which
some girls run around you
still don't want to ask them
"are these panties yours?"

The Laundromat (2)

Snuck outisde for
a quick freezing smoke
propped between a steamed up
window and a brick pillar

Flipped my book open as I flicked an
ash
and started thinking about how
cool smoking is
a solitary endeavor of slow muted self-destruction
also enjoyed in groups.
I took a drag and was blown
away by how cool my reflection
looked on the pillar from
a yellow streetlight, propped
awkardly in an architectural
fuck up.
two puffs went down two cars drove
by and a sudden self-conscious
jolt shot through me grounding reality
smoking doesn't make you cool.

The Laundromat

A humid oasis on a 12 degree day
I struggle through the door
and catch the eye of a 20 something
as her nose came out of her book
she flashed a quick smile which
I bounced back across
the checkerboard laundromat
chessboard floor

I wanted to small talk
chit chat "whatcha reading?"
I thought as my eyes crossed my
red roasting hands
stuffing the sheets my ex
had bought us into another
Commercial Washer
just a few thousand spins
from washing our relationship
away