Paying the Tab

When I was in college

I stole from 711 when I was drunk

Hid snow cones in my cleavage

While wobbling in front of the cashier

Stretching out my fingers towards him

Wiggling them as if I was reaching through a cage

And wanted to see if I would get a pet

Or a bite

“Sabuuuuuu” I would whisper his name

To the kind man who had seen me at my worst

“Yesss” he would wink

Gently shooing me away

Because it was really me

That was the animal

Unaware of the world around me

Unaware later that night

When my friend ran from our cab

The fare still running

And the cops came

Because when the cab driver tried to pull her back

She slapped his face

Unaware that as we yelled at the cops

Our blood was dripping in a lion’s den

But why would we notice

When we had never been bitten

And when I look back now

I remember my friend

With skin

Darker than mine

Waiting in the lobby of the building

Safe from the zoo before her