Page 20 of The Secret to Belonging

a silver sedan pulls up and stops in front of the women

one of them leans down and talks through the window

then she gets in and the car pulls out

and

you follow them

Alison stays several cars back for eight or nine blocks

you speculate on where they’re going and what she’ll charge

the sedan finally goes north on Highland

heads toward the 101 on-ramp

Alison turns west onto Hollywood Boulevard

you pass Mann’s Chinese Theater

the movie stars’ handprints

you stopped once and got out

put your hands over Marilyn Monroe’s

you never felt so large

Alison turns to you. time for pie

statement, not question

you nod anyway

the VW speeds south on La Brea

turns right on Sunset

at Polly’s Pies (Open 24 hours!)

you slide into a booth

order apple pie à la mode

people-watch through the plate-glass window

this is how pathetic your lives are

the most creative thing you can think to do

on a Friday night in one of the biggest cities in the world

is to pretend you’re Cagney and Lacey and spy on

ladies of the night and their johns around Hollywood

then go eat pie and smoke cloves