you should have seen me back then

she tells me she used to

be a model.

i yawn.

you should have seen me back then.

i was slender,

my hair was brown

and luxurious.

i used to run

and teach aerobics.

i was a cheerleader.

married men

and even women

would twist their neck

to look at me.

i loved the beach and had a suntan

year round. i owned

a dozen bikinis, in

every color

and wore short dresses all

the time.

that's nice, i tell her,

leaning over

to take a crueler from her bag

of donuts.

yeah, i tell her, we were all

beautiful

back then, but that was then

and this is now.

C'est la vie, i say,

pointing at her cheek.

you have some chocolate

icing there.