blood, love & boomerangs

excerpt

ride

doors    open   close
I sit centre stage

marvel at the fancy-dress woman
her ability to apply make-up expertly on a moving train
   without the aid of a compact
reach over to see if she's wearing anything under that
   long cool dark dress

unzip the knapsack that presents itself to me

   see what's inside
hands drop to search shopping bags
   souvenirs from expensive stores

reach forward to tuck in the label of the harried woman's

   blouse as she exits the car

ask the portly gentleman if he's related to Sydney Greenstreet

expect the tiny man beside him to sound like Peter Lorre

run my hand across the back of the young woman's neck

as she sits    head bent    eyes closed
because hers is the kind of vulnerability that invites such caresses

place my hungry fingers on the intense man's

chocolate bar and break a piece off
place it sensually on my tongue while watching his eyes

excuse myself by the young bravado at the sliding door

place a hard kiss on his lips just to watch him squirm
drop a deft hand to check for an instant erection before
                                                                 exiting the car

©Catherine Jenkins 1999