pool

Smoke heavy, hanging like weather. Broad men in tailored shirts, cufflinks. Thick white teeth, knees splayed, gigantic soft leather chairs. Gut laughs, fists hitting the heavy table, a delicate rattle of glasses, cards spilling out of order. Wristwatches worth more than my car, dental work equivalent to diamonds. I like looking at the room this way. The extravagances. I like to hear what men like these complain about, what are their inconveniences. These lives of pleasure, of excess, where do they find fault.

We served drinks, smiled, spoke when spoken to. Id set down a scotch and he would look up at me as though I brought sunlight, maybe grabbing my hand to kiss or pulling me down to whisper something dirty in my ear.