Sharing Plastic

by blake nemec

Bonnie and Craig knew the Tenderloin street blocks share a meter. She had coins and gun in her purse, but parking meters use plastic, and they didn’t have one for the car. -Could pay to use someone’s card? Craig said. A guy with white earbuds dangling out of his ears neared them as he crossed Turk street. -Him—go! Bonnie called out. Craig skipped up to the guy. -I’ll trade you two dollars for one with your credit card.

White earbuds squinted at him then scurried away. -We’ll be late for the film shoot, Craig whined, while a teenager without teeth asked for spare change. Bonnie opened her coin purse and pulled out some silver for the toothless, and a woman wearing a bluetooth started slinking by. -We have to get the MSMs that’s where all the grant money is, BlueTooth transmitted in front of them. -There is your girl, Craig cheered Bonnie on, so she puffed her chest up and clicked her 70’s chunks up to BlueTooth. -Sweetheart, I am going to give you two dollars you can slide your card into the meter box for me? -So sorry, I’m late for wor-

Bonnie’s voice dropped real low as she showed her gun, -share the card, girl. BlueTooth skipped to the meter box and slid her plastic inside. So Bonnie relaxed, Thank you sugar, which non-profit do you work for? We’ll send some “high risk” over your way. BlueTooth’s eyebrows crouched over her bulging eyes as she gazed at Bonnie and Craig; she gave them an outreach card and ran away. -My word is good; I’ll send some guys over, Bonnie shouted as BlueTooth left. -Think she knew you were holding plastic? Craig asked kissing Bonnie’s cheek. -By the fear in her face I don’t think so.

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Blake is a health care worker, writer and teacher, originally from Western Wisconsin, who lives in Chicago. His recent work was published in Captive Genders; Trans Embodiment and the Prison Industrial Complex, the Rio Grande Review and Jupiter 88. The National Queer Arts Festival, Radical Queer Semaine, and the Association of Writer’s and Writing Programs are events where he has presented or performed.