the baby seal jacket

one thing you need
to know about me
she says, before
we go any further,
is that
i'm an extremely
strident
green person.
she takes a sip
of her hot water
with a slice
of lemon and stares
at me. but
you look fine i
tell her. even
without makeup. your
skin is very nice.
no, she says. what
i mean is that
i recycle
religiously. i
have my own burlap
bag for whole foods,
it was my mother's.
and i drive a prius.
or walk, or bike
everywhere.
i love nature
and all of God's
living creatures
and will do
everything
in my power
to preserve mother
earth. no red meat
or even fish for
me. i can accept
that i say, sipping
my martini and cutting
into my rib eye
steak, but you
know this coat
i'm wearing? yes,
she says, well,
it's made out of
baby seals. i hope
you don't mind.
she looks at the coat
and feels the softness
of the fabric, then
dips her pita
bread into her hummus,
let me think about
it, she says.