Staring At Payphones - Dan Potthast

I imagine myself alone at Benny’s eating the world’s biggest slice

Across the room the payphone starts to ring

I’m chewing on ice Benny picks it up on his way to kick the jukebox

He grabs the phone and says it’s for you

Now I grab the phone my hands are shaking

Hello you say

It’s me now way

No way I wake up covered in makeup

Straight from a dream to nightmare

It seems I find myself alone again in Hoboken

I’m staring at payphones

I’m thinking of questions

I’m pressing the numbers in my head I’m staring att payphones

I’m staring at payphones

I’m thinking of questions

Hypothetical intellectual arguements I’m staring at payphones

Three months later I’m back at Benny’s eating my pepperoni pie

Across the room the payphone starts to ring

I’m rubbing my eyes

Leona picks it up on her way to make a phone call

She grabs the phone and says it’s for you

Now I’m not afraid of you or the payphone

Hello I say it’s me

Go away in three months

I woke up

Got myself cleaned up

Thank you for seeing what I couldn’t see

Things could be worse than being alone again in Hoboken