the gum incident

when you were in
high school
slow dancing one
summer evening
to sergeant pepper's
lonely hearts
club band,
in Vivian's basement,
who happened
to be captain of
the cheerleaders
and had beautiful
long black
hair, you accidentally
let the enormous pink
wad of baseball
card gum fall
out of your
mouth and into her over
flowing locks.
did I mention
how lovely and beautiful
her hair was? halfway
down her back.
well, it's true.
I tried to get it
out with my teeth
and lips at first,
but it got worse,
spreading deep into
her hair. finally,
she stopped dancing
and said, what are
you doing. which you
replied nothing.
she felt her hair,
and screamed, pushing
you away. the lights
went up and all
the other kids stopped
making out on the
couches and ran to
her aid. the other
girls screamed like it
was the end of the world.
you were done
the next day she told
you to come over and get
your sunglasses which
you had left. her hair
was short as if they
had taken a salad
bowl and chopped away
at it, getting rid
of your gum. by the end
of the summer she was
dating a new guy whose
name was cricket and
played on the football
team. you didn't care
though, not really.
and you kept up with
the gum. you liked gum
and blowing bubbles.