Sonnet to Joe’s Sunoco
On Main Street, near the rural county line,
off the grand avenue of storefront rows,
where sidewalk ends at the ‘come again’ sign,
was the orphan block, home to Dirty Joe’s.
The station housed a shop, a single bay,
two pumps, alley parking, dented dumpsters,
engine parts strewn in chaotic display,
and oil rainbow puddles ‘neath clogged gutters.
Past Joe’s office, posters of nude women,
with coins in hand, on tiptoes I crept down
to the rank men’s room, my purpose given:
there, the only condom machine in town.
Purchase achieved, I ‘d scamper in flight,
but Joe would sneer, “Hey kid, have a good night.”
Gregg SAPP is the author of the “Holidazed” series of satirical novels.