Sex and Murder Magazine

By Steven Gulvezan

“Give me a Philly steak and crack cocaine—
In a bag to go,” Johnny said.
“Okay, Philly steak straight up, but we’re all out
Of cocaine,” Johnny’s pal Raymond said,
Wiping his hands on his apron and laughing.
Johnny walked out of the diner with more
Than Philly steak on his mind—
He picked up on a little girl who was singing
For money—
Johnny put a dollar in the girl’s mandolin case.
“I like that,” he said. “I like country music.
You taking a break? You want a sandwich?
I think I’ve got a musical soul.”
The girl was working on the Philly steak and talking—
“I used to go to school at Temple,” she said.
“I sang at Bobby’s Showtime Bar – a class place,
Have you been there?”
They were walking past an alley—
It was getting late—
Johnny grabbed the girl – she’d said her name was
Lily – by the throat and forced her behind a
Dumpster. When he was through with Lily
He wagged his big finger in her face.
“I’ve never seen you at Temple,” Johnny said,
“And I hang over there all the time—
I don’t think you told me the truth about
Temple, and you ate my Philly steak too…”