Behind the Drugstore

you don't see too many people
drunk
anymore.

I remember growing up
and playing stick ball behind the drugstore

which was adjacent to a bar called
SeaShell,

and across the street
was the drive thru liquor store.
there was always

someone out there, bent over,
one hand on the wall,
either throwing
up

or peeing, letting it run
back onto his shoes.
it would interfere with our game.

we would have to wait until
the drunks
would zip up,

wipe their mouths with their
sleeves and stagger off.

sometimes they'd want to join in
on the game

and say things like come on kid,
come on,
let me show you my curve ball.

or give me that bat. let me hit one
out..

they'd be
in their sweaty business suits
and loose neck ties
with five o'clock shadows,

but most of the time they'd find
their keys
buried impossibly deep
inside their pant pockets

and drive off, zig zagging home

to their families.