We readied ourselves
the warm afternoon embers burning
down..the clouds white like ash
storytelling time

He finished his sterling shot of moonshine
and she sucked the last of decent weed
On the way in they kicked their boots
at the front door....
He dug in his pocket past the lighter
and bills and change...
"heads-up" and almost a quick straight
shot from the hip the Mentos tin spun
without even looking she clasped it
mid air....five foot distance....never broke
eye contact as they kept walking...
"He wanted U too put them on him!"
she looks down...her leather Bolero
jacket...the jeans...DocMartens worn
flips the lid and dumps out its contents

Two faux paux gold cufflinks with pearl
bullfighter motiff....collectors peices
in another dimension she smiles wryly
but she knows he would have worn these
as daily as his boots..

dumps them in
Follows his tall form down the proper hall
watchings his hair flowing with each long
stride...she matches him....staying back
the right distance like they all learned

the director nods and they talk a second
or two and invite them in...the casket is
set up on its retractable gurney....a dark
wood with basic trim package....
he leaves gives them a moment

"Basic sleeper package"
she looks it over!!
"cruising into eternity incognito!!"
"U ready?"
"are we ready"..their eyes meet
and they both take a portion of
the lid and pull it upward..
He looks like hes sleeping but not
too rested looking..
"I wanna mess up his hair and put his
glass on crooked" he smiles..yah
me too...

She digs the MENTO's tin out and dumps
the cufflinks out....an old pill slips out too
and falls into the cracks..
shit..
ahh..a little something for the trail
and she slaps the resting form on the
shoulder and a tear squeezes out
..He rolls the cuffs down and then turns
them one fold up squeezing em together
She puts the link through....adjust the
matador...put his hand down and they
repeat together...place his hands
over his lap..
"Looks,,,,completely f********* unnatural"
they meet eyes and work hard at leaning
against each other from busting a gut
their faces red....She squeezes the
old Mentos tin and hangs on...slipping
it in her pocket..
they hug each other..wiping tears..
Stare down
"Freaking cufflinks" gotta look good
at Club Heaven

they think wouldnt it be nice to just wake
him up and go for a drink or a coffee
somewhere...but they know him
he does look peaceful

she bends over him and kisses him on the
cheek and pulls a strand of hair loose
over his face like normal

"Now he looks real"

they walk out in the hall
and meet the director
and walk back outside
and start to greet the
small few that have shown

.....