Author Information
"Prose Zach"
by Jeph Johnson
Seemingly stranded on a barstool as the party rolled its collective eye past the strobes, Zachary's eyes sparkled like a lighthouse, while she muttered above the pounding beat.
"What are you doing?"
"Writing a poem," he said.
"About?"
From one end of the bar to the karaoke stage he silently smiled.
"What is your poem about?"
Zachary turned his head slowly to meet her dark eyes that he once had an affinity for before understanding the combination of depth and whimsy blue eyes could provide.
"You probably wouldn't understand." he said.
"Do you come here a lot?"
Zachary shrugged his shoulders, despite his status as a regular.
"What are you drinking?"
Now the words were flowing! Even words he preferred not to, rhymed. Looking down, Zachary scribbled more lines and took a sip of hard lemonade. He turned the label towards her and continued writing.
"I like the harder stuff."
Zachary's mind transfixed on yesterday. Since his eighteen dollar camera fucked up, his only recollection of their day together at the zoo was going to have to be salvaged from the leftover thoughts drifting through his mind tonight. Hence the smile.
"You have soft eyes."
Zachary stopped writing and looked right at her this time. She immediately looked down.
"Well, you do."
"Listen," he said, "I need to finish this poem...why don't you run along and go ride the Portland Streetcar or something?"
