Turf War

I tried to walk around a homeless man
In the parking lot of the used bookstore
On Thirty-Sixth Street and Indian School Road last night

What are you doing here
He asked

I bought a book
I said

What book you buy

Many Are The Hearts

Who wrote it

I looked at the cover
Richard Goldhurst

Who that

I don't know

What's it about

I haven't read it yet

Everyone who buys a book reads the flap

I read from the cover
It's about the agony and the triumph of Ulysses S. Grant

Imagine that
Do you have any cigarettes

I gave him one

He pulled a book of matches out of his pocket
Kid at 7-11 gives me these
A man needs to start a fire sometimes
Like now
He lit his cigarette
This is my turf

You can have it back
I'm going home

To read that book

What difference does it make

All the difference in the world man

I turned my back to him
And walked away

Hey man
he yelled

I turned around

Greed is the goose that laid the golden egg
Remember that
And don't come back
I never forget a face