martin walked in
all casual like
no idea what time it was he picked out
a bottle of gin
sipsmith
copper distilled
wax seal
london
an employee had him
leave through the back exit
the employee
had just locked
the front doors
martin walked back
past the front doors
to make it to his place
by foot
there were four people lined
up all men, different ages
each trying the doors
complaining
“It’s not even fucking seven!”
their hearts in their throats it
must have been like
a pharmacy closing
for them
martin joked he’d sell
them his bottle
at double retail
then they jumped his ass
and one of them ran off
with his gin
and another ran off
with his shoes
a pair of k swisses
martin woke up sober
in the lot
in his socks
in the dark
in the night
Adam Johnson lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.