Cherries

All I wanted was to get home. Get home as fast as possible. I set the cruise control for 85 after I put on the rock star over sized sun glasses I had bought for my vacation and headed south back towards the city. When I passed the unmarked car on the left, I could of stepped on my breaks and try to avoid any trouble If I knew where my head was at.
The nice young officer let my fly past him and just keep going. And that's exactly what I did. I owned the fast lane never slowing down for a good 5 more miles to the North Branch exit. When I seen him close behind me I pulled to the far right turning the Jeep off and waited.
Officer Erickson more than likely had all ready radioed in my plates. He tipped his hat after cautiously approaching my car and exchanged pleasantries.
"Where are you going in such a hurry ma'am?'
I looked at him and smiled a tired smile but gave him no answer. I had no answer to give.
"Do you have any idea how fast you were moving?", he tries again.
I can answer that, and I do. Officer Erickson is giving me the optic field drug test as I say, "85".
"And where are you going?"
I do not know. I have been on the road for the past three weeks. Some times I am at two, some times three different prison facilities. And they all want me. They want my answers. The want my attention. They want my shoulders. They want my ears. All at the same time. I want nothing of them.
"You coming from Rush City?" The patrol man has spotted my state ID and his voice takes on a softer tone.
I nod and repeat Rush City like an amnesia recovering parrot.
Rush City is a small down full of old pick up and rednecks. The heavy security prison is built in the middle of a corn field and full of the angriest men alive. They are young and mean, unaccepting that they will spend the rest of their days behind bars and eager to fight. The entire town works at the prison. Drive down main street, past the gun store, and the hardware store, after the bakery turning left at the grain elevator any there you will find one of Dante's seven levels of hell.
"Aren't you in the middle of a lock down there?"
"South C found a 13 inch shank make out of a dust mop head", I answer knowing the entire town listens to the police scanners, not just the police officers.
"Hell, I'd be getting my ass out of there in a hurry too", the officer grunts.
It is common ground and I see my hope. I could tell him I was on my way to pick up supplies from Oak Park, or Stillwater, Lino for that matter, if I wanted to put any effort into a lie. But I am burned out and sick of lies. When he stopped me I had no idea where I was or where I was headed. The sun was either rising or setting and I was either coming or going.
"You know officer Kranz?"
"I couldn't tell ya. I just started there so he could be fabulous or an asshole."
The officer laughs.
I wanted to tell him I was in Jamaica when he pulled me over. My mind was on the man I left back on the island and I was unaccounted for. Throw me in a nice quite country jail some where and give me a chance to think.
"Slow down now and stay safe."
To late.

The Man I Love With All My Heart Trevor

I have fallen head over heels in love with an extreme fighter named Trevor. Trevor smells of testosterone and gym mats.
His beautiful face but not his ginormous shoulders are hidden behind the menu as he reads ever so slowly.
"Swiss steak with choice of potato and vegetable. What kind of animal do you think they make Swiss steak out of?"
"Beef."
I want to explain how they make it, but know his attention span would be strained if I went into the carb detail involved with this dish.
I tell him to order the New York strip to be as safe as someone in his profession can be.
He loves me for more than my nutrition knowledge I tell myself.
"Do you want my potatoes?", Trevor inquires ever so thoughtfully. "Do I have to get the potatoes if it says so on the menu?"
I tell him no, he can do what ever he wants. But I leave off the "to me " part.
Trevor talks of his fighting techniques as we wait for our protein laden food. He uses strange Oriental terminology in his husky voice and it is my turn to look blank and nod vaguely. I squeal when he puts his invisible opponent in a head hold acting out a particularly good match..
"So how bout it, he finally asks once we have leaned back like full snakes, you wanna come watch me fight? My uncle and I have a competition next Thursday, wanna go?"
I ask my iron man how old is his uncle.
"24."
I cry and cry because I did not order dessert and show this baby what real risk is.

The Man I Love With All My Heart Tim

I have fallen head over heels in love with my awkward young assistant Tim. Tim smells of slight perspiration and Mt. Dew. Tim wants to hate me because I got the director's job instead of him, but he is too divine to feel that strong.
Tim is unsure where to walk when we are together. I make it hard for him to pace his giraffe strides to mine and I expect him to let me walk ahead of him into every room. Except I am so new I do not know where I am going and hate to have Tim tell me anything, he is my bitch after all. That and I think he prays under his sweet breath.
He is so nervous he might actually touch me he will dart willy nilly in my way and we both stop short and look at each other. I should just say, "Ok kiss me now I know you want too", just to get it over with but there is probably some sort of harassment policy somewhere that I would have to use on him in the future just to keep my job.
If I look directly at him he cannot talk to me. So I stay in my office and yell for his comfort.
"Tim! My little gerbil. Stop sucking on your pop water bottle, and tell me where the incident reports are. I feel the need to fire someones ass!"
I will hear the sound of his chair squeak as he uncoils his long body and clump to the file cabinet at my command.
I will get him to swear by next week. Then swear his undieing love for me by payday.

The Man I Love With All My Heart Mike

I have fallen head over heels with a locksmith named Mike. Mike smells of steel and lubricant. He sits in my office dressed in workman's blues calibrating me through his horn rim glasses as he shares his sunflower seeds. He gauges me with the framed hazel eyes as he offers me his bag. I would feed this man anything he desires in the kitchen without him asking, with out his offer of snacks, he just does not know this yet.
"You really should stay here at this facility and not go to the other one. The people are nicer here at maximum security."
I want to stay right there with him, licking the salt off his secure lips.
"And you have to factor in the time it would take you to drive everyday up north."
I should of dished him up some breakfast at that point, but I was enjoying his coaxing too much to give it up so easy.
"No traffic heading out of town, Mmike."
I tell him he has the biggest keys I have ever seen as I stare at the ring hanging near his groin and I mean it.
"You play cribbage? You should come down to my office some afternoon and play."
I have pretended my codes are not working seven times in four days and can't get the image of naked board games in his dark office out of my mind.

The Man I Love With All My Heart

I have fallen head over heels in love with a district manager named Ralph. Ralph smells like coffee, letterhead, and advancement.
When Ralph and his steel grey every lock in place hair walks in my office my every orifice puckers.
"Do you have the numbers for this months food budget?" the Bill Clinton look alike will ask me as he takes off his leather coat and sets aside his breifcase.
"I think they are somewhere under the desk", I answer in a Monica Lewinsky voice in my head. But in real life all I say is "squeak" through lips pursed as if I had just swallowed a lemon drop.
"Are you alright?" my true love will inquire
"Wes! I answer not able to make my face right.
I am torn. I want my numbers to be so good he will use me for an example and give me a pat on my head. I want my numbers to be so bad he spanks my rosebud bottom.

The Man I Love With All My Heart

I have fallen head over heels in love with a bartender named George. George smells of charisma and rum. The best pina colada comes from George's skilled hands when he shakes it shakes it shakes it to the reggae beat for me. When I slip him a tip, George makes love to my hand. But he will only cater to my every whim between the hours of eight to close. I sit at the end of his bar with a fist full of dollars, empty as the steal drums that beat in my chest.

Oh no we don't

We do not confine any alqaeda talliban jihad terrorists at my maximum security facility. We do not confine any alquaeda talliban jihad terrorists at my maximum security facility. We do not confine any alquaeda talliban jihad terrorists at my maximum security facility. We do not confine any alquaeda talliban jihad terrorists at my maximum security facility.We do not confine any alqaeda talliban jihad terrorists at my maximum security facility. I put pig in their every meal. We do not confine any alquaeda talliban jihad terrorists at my maximum security facility. We do not confine any alqaeda talliban terrorists at my maximum security facility. We do not confine any alqaeda talliban terrorists at my maximum security facility.

The Man I love With All My Heart

I have fallen head over heels in love with a meterosexual Londoner named Owen. Owen smells of style and studders softly in the sexiest accent in the world.
"You are the biggest Jamaican I've found on the island yet!" I exclaim as he blocked me from my pina colada at the bar.
"I'm from the UK love", the coffee colored man replied reaching into his shoulder bag as he bought himself an energy drink and paid for my spiked slushy.
"Well welcome to the island" I answer besotton and a little drunk.
Owen taught me to dance like a girl with soul and I giggled when he said petrol or primary. I would pretend I could not hear him over the sound of club so he would have to repeat himself in my ear.
"Your absolutely gorgeous."
"What?"
"Aabsolutely g-gorgeous."
"Yes Owen, I will marry you", I answer shaking my back side as if I had one.
I slipped my number into his furry man purse and have not heard from him yet.