A man receives two bouquets at the Atlantic Book Awards

This award, he said, is being moved up
because of a slight ailment to my leg.
Then a man with a corsage receives a bouquet.
Because he remarks on the corsage
and the bouquet, he is given a second
bouquet.
The harbour is a bright dark blue and
wavy but we do not take the ferry.
I'm down to Keith's Light.
Do you know champagne? he says.
Me: No.
Then I know what to get you.
This, from a bet that if either
of us wins, the other gets
a good bottle of champagne.
In a way, I'm glad I lost, as
I would have gotten him a bad bottle
of champagne. And I dont want to
be winced at.
The pizzas arrive and there is much
prying for the bacon and pineapple.
There are a few writers here on
xanax. Others have to dowse cigarettes
before slipping into the backseats
of cars. I'm wearing the red shirt
I got on Spring Garden Road. I now
know my sleeve length. Thirty-six.
But it's all too much. So if youre
wondering why I'm home early, it's
to find a bath and read the latest
issue of Cabinet.