he didnt like himhe didnt like him immediately

he looked up absently from the letter he was writing to his daughter and through threads of blue smoke off his cigarette he made an abbreviated eye contact with him 

the man was rubbernecking the dimly lit bar

he scarcely recognised he did

he was slipping thoughts of what next to write in her letter

his letters tended to spontaneous gobs off the cuff kneejerk reactions mental gymnastics and contortions overall blatant iterations of what happened to traipse across his wandering mind

they were formless  occurred out the end of his ballpoint pen onto pages or scraps of found paper backs of advertisement flyers which often distracted who he wrote from what he wrote because they were at least smooth cognitive formulations and never anything hed conceive of partaking in or purchase

he didnt register he glanced up

as easily he could have been watching the passing headlights from undistinguished cars on the night the copperyflint pavement through the tall plateglass windows at the front of the bar

perhaps the man thought they knew each other

which was unlikely  he didnt pursue conversations or acquaintances

they wouldnt know each other

he took another drag off his cigarette picked a piece of tobacco off the tip of his tongue sipped his beer then dropped his intermission and returned to his letter

he must have been wearing his priests collar

that was the rub

he knew his family knew that people he was unfamiliar with often approached him and confided things he wouldnt have if he were them

not that theyd go anywhere

if someone found they had something to say to him he locked it away

a herd of wild whores couldnt compel him

No

hed busy himself at their carnal blue bits his mouth too full to speak his hands at their breasts and asses his fingers in their slippery warm pies

Eat a peach

Hellyah  always room for warm peach pie

the chair across from him at his table dragged its wooden feet on the raw concrete floor complaining mildly

Yahman so youre heard of Diamonds Strike Anywhere matches

he lifted his eyes to the man sitting down 

he took a sip of his beer

then he casually looked into the strangers face

he was ugly

there was nothing at first glance which the two might share nothing in common

unless the stranger was looking for a fight

he wasnt adverse to talking with his fists

still awash in the passage he was finagling for his daughter he said I didnt catch that Im writing

Said Diamond Strike Anywhere matches  Youre heard of them

I have

Yeah  Good  Thats me

A diamond or the strike anywhere

cat wasnt taking his hint  Im writing

You can write anytime

I am presently

Naw not presently  Afterwards

had to be the fuckin collar

had to be another confessional out of the blue lubricated with liquor

Awright  he set his ballpoint down on top the pages  hed enter this transaction in the letter for his daughter

he ought to carry votive candles in the knapsack at his feet  Awright Ill play

Whatcha drinkin

Dogfish Head on tap

Ill buy ya one

I wouldnt say no  Call it the price of admission

as the stranger motioned the barmaid over he said Again whaddaya got

after he ordered he said To answer your smart question Im strike anywhere  I bitchslap anywhere  A woman keeps her two cents to herself she opens her mouth Ill knock em out  With her fuckin teeth if need be

he didnt reply

Bad manIm a bad man

But it occurred to me walking over here I got just the girl for you

Youre a pimp

Fuckno

Youre trying to set me up  he knew he shouldnt play but he couldnt help himself a good chance this wasnt going to end pretty

the stranger said he knew a girl who knew a girl who knew a girl who knew him

Suspense  he said and laughed

the barmaid returned with their drinks

he finished his warm beer and took a healthy pull of the cold one Thanks

Yadont toast when someone buys you a beer

Is that the cost of admission  he was beating admission up pretty good   

Awright  Heres to wha

I dont know I bought the beer

Buy a round Its your toast

Tah two cents held tight   There

In reference to your bitchslap anywhereyah

Yah

To two cents  Everyone has theirs

they drank together  at opposite purpose

the stranger probably didnt follow

Hey  So Ill call the girl who knows the girls

he picked up the sheaves of paper  I got a girl  and set them back down placing his hand atop them  And shed be ticked if I entertained your suggestion  

Not to be rude Ill thank you for your offer for the beer  Offers a nonstarter

the stranger glared at him

You accepted my beer

he pushed the beer across the metal tabletop  Not under terms of inviting women over  I got a girl

the stranger held the tip of his tongue clamped between his front teeth

maybe he was thinking hard

it looked like it hurt

You got a girl
I got a sweet girl

You didnt hear me when I said I was a bad man

I did but then I think all men are  Corrupted it seems by our sex our truly preferential treatment

he wondered if the stranger wasnt feeling a bit bitchslapped

Youll excuse me Id like to return to my letter  I appreciate the beer  he didnt reiterate The price of admission

You gay

I am   Im one happy muthafuckerYou bet

Somebody ought to slap the two cents out of your mouth

Yah 
Somebody

it wasnt suspenseful  either he was coming across the table or not 


he pushed back in his chair stood and walked off stifflegged

he didnt worry about the stranger getting behind him

he always sat with his back to a wall facing the door


Im back baby he wrote

mid-October,  2016
0914,  Thursday,  3  11. 16

Sly and the Family Stone  I Want to Take You Higher    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDjnB_61k58