Twenty years ago when I moved to California

I went to Wells Fargo to open a bank account

The teller was young, beautiful, Vietnamese

My first thought was
"You know, I might have fucked your mama"

My second thought was
"You know, I might have killed your mama"

I took my receipt
Went outside
And threw up on the sidewalk

And you wonder why I have trouble sleeping?

You wonder why I broke the lamp and punched a hole in the wall?

You wonder why road rage makes me feel so good?
 

My body came back but not my mind
I will always be ten thousand miles away

Lee Ballinger, Los Angeles
Used with permission of the author