Tonight's Poet Corner: Pinstripe

Pinstripe
by Belinda Roddie 

I nearly
strangled a guy in the park today.
True story. He was
hitting on my girlfriend
with a vengeance,
and when she said
no,
he tried to rip off her shirt
and lick her.

I was behind him like a guard dog,
teeth gnashing, barking,
as I undid my
purple pinstripe
necktie
and wound it around his neck
like he was the dog
on the leash.

And when he turned
a similar shade of
purple, I warned him.
The knot tightened:

"If you ever,
ever
try to assault my girl again,
I
will
asphyxiate you."

He dropped like a limp rag
on the pavement
and we took off hand in hand.

I love wearing neckties.