ten nine eight, etc.

i try on my New Years Eve hat,

a silvery

sequined thing,

pulling the rubber

band string

under my chin, then take

out the cheap

paper horn

from the top shelf of the closet.

yup.

it still honks out

that annoying

sound.

i dig in deeper

into the closet,

i find the cowbell

and the wrench i hit

it with.

i just need to run up to Safeway

before it closes

for a bottle

of champagne,

chunks of cheese

and dip,

then i call someone

i met last week,

so that

i'm not alone again

on

New Years Eve.

only

nine hours left to go.