We cross Fort Street through wind and snow reach Winnipeg Square an underground mall enter down escalator office bustle suits and ties and skirts and high heels sex is everywhere bulging wallets and ambitions I show my friend the lottery booth I used to work at my boss an older fellow with cerebral palsy we formed a tight friendship loved the way he smiled, used to ride on the back of his electric wheelchair up and down the mall great buddies fucked-up in our ways and desires, my oldest friend was the janitor there also singer in our rock group cruising for chicks while pushing mop behind the suits leaning on wall talking waving his hands, down the street our practice hall old character building drunken caretaker always a party sex drugs and all the rest, fell in love here as they say, broken heart here as they also say, walking past the shops and food joints and the beautiful women of Winnipeg and the past happenings old friendly ghosts my friend walks clumsy leaning forward like her tits are too big, rolls up her sleeves tiny tattoo on forearm I can’t make out fat guy in bookstore reading Hemingway, young woman checking out Tolkien, security guard pushing panhandler out the door, upscale lounge on the left chalkboard saying gin and tonics on special, let’s go there I say...
