the head shop at the mall

there was the cool

dude

in the hood

who always had drugs with him.

had rolling papers

and a bong

in the trunk

of his car.

paraphernalia of all kinds.

i got some good stuff,

brother,

he'd say.

Columbian red, or some

such exotic

blend of herbs

from afar.

he worked

at the head

shop

at Iverson Mall.

he wore a beret

and a tie-dyed shirt,

and had a tattoo of a

North Vietnamese

flag

and a peace sign

on his arm.

girls liked him

for some reason.

i saw

him the other day.

he's sells term life insurance now

and drives

a mini-van,

which he puts

his grand kids in.

he's still at the same mall.