Sixteen ounces of coffee, four gallons of gas

Twenty-dollar bill among reassuring words

An unmade bed, an incomplete paper

Glass of water with melted ice cubes.

Yesterday’s dress and last year’s scarf

Fresh ringlets freshly twirled

“Are you going out tonight?” asks the woman

At the convenience store, and she has more fun.

Try harder

Pining

Stay longer

Grueling

Be better

You can do it.

They’ll be dancing and drunk, shouting

High heels and boots, all the looks

Laughing at somebody in some way, engaging

Compelling the night away.

“If only.”