Topography

Across my desk, Claire scrolled out a map of the town.
Her breast brushed against my hand.
“If you draw lines between the pawn
shop, bodega by family planning, and
barber shop, you can fence in the Cambodians.”
Her words clogged in my eardrums
and I imagined if she was still beautiful when
she was naked. She continued, “I dragged Mike out from
my new place, the other night, just inside the North edge
of the Triangle, and waited on the porch while he emptied
out. Over his noise, I barely heard something ping off the ledge
of the porch. I looked across the street but couldn’t see
past the dark. I rolled Mike behind the car and called the cops.
I waited until five before I went to bed.” I smiled as she talked.