Beggars and Choosers

 

“Hey, Buddy, got an extra smoke?”

By the disheveled look of him,

I’m sure a smoke wouldn’t have

done him any worse.

Suppose I looked approachable,

an easy score to him. Okay by me.

Cost of smokes have gone up

considerably over the years.

When I began smoking at age

twelve back in ‘59 a pack of

twenty cost about a quarter.

Now they’re more than 5-bucks

a shot.

I nodded at the guy, reached

into my shirt pocket, pulled

out my Marlboro's and handed

him two. “Much obliged,”

he said to me. “Got a light?”

Gave him one of those too, and

off he went down the street.

Curiously, I wondered what he

must have thought of me?

He wasn’t the kind of fellow

who may have warned me,

“Man, those things are gonna

eventually kill the likes of you

and me.” That would have

been rich, for neither of us

could have given a rat’s ass

anyway.

Which one of us would likely

be the first to go was the

only question which remained?

                       -30-

Chris Hanch 2-3-2023