the internet date

will you visit me
in prison
she says to you
on the first
date slash meeting.
why? are you
going to jail, you ask,
dipping a rubbery piece
of fried calamari
into the red sauce.
you name it she says,
scratching at her arm
that seems to have a rash
where a tattoo may
have been.
do tell, you say, crunching
down on the calamari.
tax evasion, she says,
for one. then there's the
time I slashed my
ex husband's tires on
his pick up truck.
plus I left my kids
alone and they set
the apartment building
on fire while I was
out on a date. I told
them no cooking
while I was gone.
how old are they.
four and five.
the youngest can really
make some good
scrambled eggs if you
pull a chair up
to the stove.
there's some other stuff
too, she says, reaching
into the basket for
some food, but I'd
rather not tell you.
you might not like me
then. you laugh, or visit
you in prison?
right she says, so tell
me about you. enough
about me.
what do you like to do
for fun? she says.
you seem like a fun guy.