Usually he is wearing a thrift-shop pea coat, pretty much always with a Zippo lighter.

Every winter it seems there is a kid who comes into the bar, trying on some variation of the Bukowski lifestyle; usually he is wearing a thrift-shop pea coat, pretty much always with a Zippo lighter. Also: the ubiquitous wallet chain.

It is obvious that the lifestyle is too big for him: figuratively he looks like an eight-year-old girl tottering in momma's heels and pearls, lipstick smeared on her face.

Kid, you are too young for this. Your tattoos are new. You have no gravel: all of your disappointments in life have been small.

There are guys here who will take your money, there are guys here who will break you out back by the dumpsters, just because that is what they do for fun. If a girl here picks you, she will be the one with herpes, and she will take your wallet, chain or no.

Now, it is smart of you not to have hooked up with the heroin kids, so you obviously have some basic intelligence. Try a coffeeshop -- there's several along the street. Maybe try chatting up a girl who isn't drunk. There's nothing wrong with being two cute young kids who party a little on the weekends.



-jj

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