Between the sleeping and working and
the working and sleeping and the second
job which meant more working
and less sleeping there was
eating.
The joy of the drive-through cheeseburger
on his way to the second job
when the cheese was melted but not
drippy, the fries not too salty,
and the soft drink not too sweet
or syrupy. Sometimes it was
enough.
Between the working and sleeping and
the working and working and the
thought even of a third job
there was
finally
a crash.
It was one of those good burger days
when comfort after food
meant sleep, even at the wheel,
and then there was
ketchup on the dash and
fries between the seats and
finally
no more work.
Dave O’Leary is a writer and musician living in Seattle. He’s had two novels published (The Music Book, Booktrope, 2014 and Horse Bite, Infinitum, 2011) and has had work featured in Slate.com, the Monarch Review, the Portland Book Review, Vamp Cat Magazine, Turnpike Magazine, and soon Cajun Mutt Press. Both of his novels featured poetry mixed in with the prose, and now he is at work on his first full-length collection of poetry.