Wait

Wait

Rose was new on the podium;
selling perfume and cigarettes
she didn’t smoke

when Rollup rolled up,
smelling of Eau Dium;
spoiling for a fight.

He refused to direct her
to his demanded Bruno,
hoped to humiliate her
in his first bout

of coughing complaints:
‘Find it yerself, I’m the customer!’;
‘I don’t work here, you do!’;
‘I could’ve smoked one by now!’.

Rollup was on a roll, the customers
grew restless as Rose
fell on the ropes,
defenceless against
his below the belt
jibes and jabs.

Impatient in the queue,
Rose’s dad, frankly upset, said,

‘You forgot the St. – you know what I mean, ‘arry?’
and delivered the supermarket’s
special meat uppercut -

knocked Rollup’s lighters right out.