that third sober day

he was trying

hard

to come off the booze.

awful hard.

he had the shakes,

a cigaretted

shook between

his fingers,

and

he just didn't look good.

green around

the gills

as they say.

he'd been

going to the meetings,

reading

his book

and the good book.

he'd been a good boy

for the entire

weekend,

but then happiness

got in the way

in the form of a paycheck.

and then he

just had to celebrate

that third sober day.