Cold Beer

Walking into a west TX convivence store under a giant Cold Beer” sign which announces buying beer. The building itself reminiscent of from “Dawn to Dusk “I chat in Spanish with the clerk, I say goodbye going back to the car where an anxious dog waits. Stumbling past. a rack of straw cowboy hats a little Miodelo splashes a fat seemingly unwashed stale smell of cigarettes sweat and failure cowboy. who spins a stream of profanities spewing around. I have those reflexes my beer falls and my hand comes up I press the button the blade jumps out.

“Back off and if that foul convict breath gets closer, I will cut your face off and wear it for Halloween. Prison ink and all”

“I see the clerk picking up the phone. I say you didn’t see anything; honky needs a change of jeans... I will be moving on and if he follows me call an ambulance (in Spanish.) She puts the phone down and smiles. I press the button the blade retracts. “Getting in the car She asks “beer?”

“There’s nothing for me here. Perchance next stop a cold beer in a clean well-lighted place