INA

"oh how I hate short, stubby girls" she'd say
a thick russian accent
travelling in the smoke of her du mauriers
crashing into the red wall
where dozens and dozens of tolstoy and other
favorites sat
eccentric and ageless
like her
and that german face I loved to watch
as she sat in her leopard coat complaining about fat people
her tall body bent over the stroller
and her eyes round
her eyes round

"you must smoke. I highly encourage that you smoke. I encourage all the addictions"
and we'd twist open the wine and talk about whatever she wanted
and I wished I'd be like her at her age
and I haven't called again