New chicken place just off Montford Center an immediate hit no fanfare just chicken greased onsite I was out of school academic probation flunked parents yanked tuition money one of those situations opening morning I take a low-pay delivery gig bird runs out at noon breading on the kitchen floor clings to shoes like fresh brown snow but goddamn I had more cash than missed opportunities by second week Lou the owner rejects every other order snarls no more honey mustard people keep begging for a taste anyway tell him Lou we'll pay extra just save me Lou hangs up rips out leaves doesn't come back third week some guy stakes out parking lot rifle at the steering wheel guy bellows honey barbecue honey barbecue honey barbecue cop calms him says some things guides car back to the road I watch rear lights shake like baby rattles cop says bad heart distant kids dead wife bad dragon took her the thing about working delivery you're an invisible eye money input food output don't think about the insides of windows just count the fucking money like this one acid party edge of town $90 order homeowner collects beer flooded dollar bills everybody is soaked some dude topples crawls to stereo tears volume knob to max metal wave crowd flows back ears trapped I'm $20 short with one foot out the door guy writhes on carpet jabs bloody finger at ceiling maybe God maybe nobody laughs says to me
you hear this man?
Michael McSweeney is the author of the novel HEROMAN, forthcoming from Expat Press.