Its too easy. The first time, you know, walking into an unfamiliar place you wonder, what happened here before? Party apartments, we know the kind. First floor or second floor, strangers.

I was ill with some sort of seasonal cold. Vodka and orange juice. Obligatory thirty racks of BUD LIGHT, the official beer of Houlton, Maine. Coffee Brandy mixed in milk jugs by a mother with lots of tattoos.



("This town sucks.")



"haven't i seen you around? what's your name?"

Blacklights are a theme here. Highlighter markers, written words only showing under the blacklight. What happened first then next and then after that are all a mosh. The moment is gone, memories fade further each day.

"can i sign you?"

He pulled up the sleeve of his shirt so I could sign his forearm. Bright yellow highlighter marker. I knew exactly what to write.

(Danny, I want YOU)

He wandered back into the blacklight to see what it said. Surprised him, no doubt. I'd seen him around. I'd wanted him then too. So we talked. And talked. A lot.

The people at the party blurred around us. Someone might have drawn attention to our lenghty conversation. So, at some point, we sat. Talking, flirting. He smoked a lot of cigarettes and wore a new pair of glasses. These glasses would be broken in the back of my truck by the end of the night.

The shirt I was wearing was one I found at Goodwill for 3 dollars. It says, "I just want to cuddle."

We were sitting, the music playing around us. A cop knocked on the door and came in.

"who are you here visiting?"

And I was so sketched out, not being 21, but 20. I'd seen the cop before. He orders #2's with cheese-- large size, Root Beer. The cop left, somehow, after warning about the noise level.

More and more, or by and by, we were at throats, kissing forever. The partygoers around us entertained thuroughly, making out, pure evil lust. At some point I was wearing his glasses, still liplocked. Hours of it.

"what's my name?"

And I loved the way he said it.

He pulled back from me, at some point.

"i work at pizza hut"
"i work at burger king"

Everyone in this town works here, a fast food giant. We were so in the same situation, we knew it. I asked him if he wanted to meet my truck, and so, soon enough, we were walking across the street together. My truck was on the leafy edge of the parking lot.

"is it the chevy or the toyota?"

Either would have been fine. The boys around here all love chevy and toyota trucks.

We were in the back and I was throwing shit around, making room. Folding down the seats. He picked up one of my evil burger king non slip shoes, the fake chucks. He had realized he had the same pair.

We kissed not much more, not much at all.

"i wonder if i'll ever see you again, after tonight"