she recycles

sometimes the stripper who lives
two doors
down from my door
gets home late at night
with a strange man.
sometimes a new man
appears, or
an old boy friend,
or woman.
or a group of people who
all sound very
happy.
they feel the need to make
their presence known
at 3 a.m.
there is the clinking of bottles
and glasses.
high heels
against the sidewalk.
cursing and laughter.
when I see her the next day
she says hello,
she's in her sweat pants
and flip flops,
she sets
her bottles out to the curb
for recycling.
metal, and paper, glass
and plastic
separate in the blue bin.