you were once flush

it was a thing

back

in the day,

when once out of the jump

and on the street

again,

you hung

on to

the largest pay stub

you ever

received

to show the guys

there was a

time when you were

flush.

it was a thing.

the old receipt,

tucked into

a wallet behind a photo

of same

girl you missed

but had lost touch,

but the stub

bent

and dirty

from being shown

so much.

usually while

standing in a soup

line,

or at the unemployment

office,

was proof, 

evidence, you used

to be flush.