My Cardboard Balcony

Bus Stop, Character Study by Belinda Roddie Dehydrated fingers seek out a cigarette in a dead leather purse on a hot monsoon night.

"You look stressed." "I am stressed," growled Terry, blowing a smoke ring before sticking the old pipe back into her mouth. "Two years of school leading to no job, a sick wife, an old dog who needs his damn leg cut off. My money's nearly gone, my metabolism's gone to Hell, and guess what? I've still got the IRS on my tail."