The parking lot was grass and gravel

not even level.

The puddles were old

water everywhere

and it hadn't rained in days.

There was a broken red neon sign blazing away

half told me the place was Eddy's

half of it was just a glass tube telling me nothing.

The door didn't have a lock

it had a hole where the lock should be.

Right off I grabbed me a beer

two-fifty for a beer

I came because I got a call

a late-night call from a friend

he told me where to find her

he told me she was here

I walked over to the video machines

five machines

and wouldn't you know it

a guy was playing her

"Move."

He looked at me. Guess he figured I was old. Guess he figured I was out of shape.

"I got money in here." he said. All the time touching the flippers. All the time the machine was flashing pink and moaning. The machine shaking while he had his hands on it.

I tossed five dollars onto the floor.

"Now fuckin' MOVE!" I yelled.

He picked up the money and wiped it off on his shirt and headed over to the bar.

My friend was right.

It was her.

Later I was going to ask him if HE dared put his coins inside.

I was going to find out if he played with her.

Friendship only goes so far.

But right now it was my turn.

I looked at the glass

at the backboard

at the big display up front

I looked at the legs.

A lot of guys only care that the legs are smooth

I look to see if they're sturdy

I want to know when it comes time to lean on them,

trying to get those last few points,

that they're not going to fold up.

Her legs looked like two Marilyn Monroes

twin Marilyn Monroes standing on a subway grate.

I took the coin out of my pants.

But I didn't put it in.

I just showed it to her.

"You want this... don't you?"

her lights just kept shining

flashing

On the display board I could see her.

Someone had painted her

with skill.

Her blouse was open to the navel.

With a quick glance I reached inside.

Her skirt was short

A white skirt

She was wearing high heels.

She was wearing a tiny necklace

One pearl on a string.

Behind her was a race car.

She was leaning against the trunk

of a big red car.

Her seat on the trunk of the car.

The car was facing away

and foreshortened

so far away and to the right

the hood was propped open and two black men were

looking in. They were holding tools in their hands.

She was staring at me.

She wanted a ride.

I put the coin in

half-way

and waited

I took it out

acted like I didn't care

picked up my beer

almost turned away

but that look on her face

changed my mind

I put the coin in her slot

and started playing

She was cheating.

Not playing fair.

She kept trying to dazzle me with

flashing lights and twice she ignored

what I was doing and just moved how she wanted to move.

I was starting to get mad.

I kept my fingers light on her buttons

gently rubbing the tips of my fingers on her buttons

and still she tried to end the game

not caring that neither one of us was satisfied

I couldn't let that happen

so I leaned in

put my hips against the machine.

ground up against her

lights flashed

I was getting points now

big numbers were flashing up on the machine

The bar tender yelled, "Hey, back there... No rough stuff!"

I yelled back, "She's not complaining... is she..?"

He turned away. He couldn't watch.

I pushed up against the machine

feeling it push back against me

I was trying to get that last little bit

trying to top ten thousand

and the last few points spilled out of her

like a gift

cause I sure couldn't tell by the rules

how I earned those last few points

but there they were

I was the winner

the high score

the other men in the bar felt like losers

it would be a long time

until one of them approached her again

I let the game end

I picked up my beer and moved away from the machine

But that wasn't good enough.

Winning wasn't good enough.

I stepped back towards her.

I put my finger in the coin return.

Looking to get back my quarter

Looking to get back my investment.

Men always want to play for free.

The End