the new girl

my buddy jake the snake
finds
love at the shelter. her
name is helen.
after 45 days in, he stumbles
upon a new resident
who was uncuffed
and let in.
she's gone through rehab
for heroin
and cocaine, and has come
out the other side,
she pees into a cup
each morning to show she's
clean.
she did burglary for awhile.
small time.
jimmying locks
on the sliding doors
of apartments.
all to pay for her addiction.
she's in the women's
wing of
the facility. she smokes,
he smokes.
they talk, they go to
a movie.
they hold hands on the balcony
overlooking
the highway,
staring out into the distance.
they watch the sun set
and talk about
drinking. they
talk about an apartment.
a car. the money they both
get from disability,
food stamps.
the future is so far away.
but they have each
other, for now.