Brandon Diehl

Heroin Bob

Just got pulled over for “not blinkering enough”
before moving into a turn lane. I watched 
the cop approaching in my mirror. He had 
his hand on his gun. You probably shouldn’t 
become a cop if you feel threatened by someone 
“not blinkering enough,” but then again,
you probably shouldn’t become a cop.

After he explained that he pulled me over
for “not blinkering enough,” he studied
my registration and insurance card.
Then he paused when he saw my license.
He leaned in close. “Bro, I knew you 
seemed familiar. You recognize me?”

I did.

We used to Sharpie “PUNX NOT DEAD”
and “FUCK” in minuscule text along the frame
of Mr. “Rambo” Williams’ whiteboard. Did it
for months until he noticed and crashed out
and threw his pencil holder at a wall.
We folded homework into planes 
to fly at the bus driver’s neck. Payback
for her daily ritual of blaring that dreadful
“I’m proud to be an American / 
where at least I know I’m free” song.
And payback her seeming inability to stop
commenting on the unhoused man 
we often passed on the streets: “He shoulda 
stayed in school.” Once, we got suspended 
when a rich kid said that the friendly janitor
“smelled like poor” and we decided to flush
his senses by dunking his head into a toilet.

I squinted at my old cop friend. 
“School. I knew you in school.”

He nodded. “School.”

Tonight, GG Allin is rolling in his shit.
He was a poser, too.