the vandellas

have you ever had
peruvian
chicken my friend martha asks me

peeking her head around
from the kitchen.

I ask her where the vandellas
are these days.

she looks at me and say I have no
idea what you're talking about.


she's too young for the song,
heat wave.

she claims to be a magician
with the chicken
though.

so I stuff a napkin into my
shirt
collar

and dig in when she brings
us out a plate of chicken

with a big ladle of rice.

it's good. spicy, hot. just
right.

tender and juicy. I start singing.

like a heat wave and she says,
yeah, yeah.

I know that song. who sings it?