~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Afternoon sun shining
we stood and laughed
among the crowd
sidewalks clean 
( spiffed up for the show)
You and I out
happy we'd been able to come
And oh yes 
having roared through Act I
All prettied up
best faces on all around
Side Door Open
and everyone having a ball
I lit up a smoke
as you conversed
with someone I didn't know
about the show
I stood a bit aside
and I saw her
dragging her cart
heading this way
worn looking
her life stuffed
in bags
she came
and just
stopped
and looked me
straight in the eye
"Got an extra?"  she rasped
I  fumbled in my purse
and found one
Handed it to her
and smiled
"Yes, here"
She just stayed put
and stared
Confused
I looked away
and back
away and back again
"Oh, do you need a light?
She gurgled a laugh
so I laughed too
as I  fumbled around
again and lit her up
"Thanks"  
she mumbled
and just walked on
one hand
on the
cart
she dragged
down
the spiffed up
sidewalk alleyway
and I just
followed with my eyes
I'd thought I'd seen
a smile
before she left
or like a wink
right before
she
turned
to head on

You looked at me and laughed
"They all know you."
I didn't know what you meant
and you just said something
about all the other people
out there smoking between acts
and why did she come to me
and you said
that it wasn't
the first time
you just shook your head
and smiled and you
held my hand
and we both looked
down
the alleyway
to see if she
was still in view
and wondered
where
she was going
Then  you said
 you loved me
and come on
 let's go back in

I maybe
remember her
better than you
now would
and know that she wasn't going
anywhere really
I mean where
would she go
up and down the streets
of Hollywood
to wherever she
found a place

and you?
well
I have no idea
where
you went...