It’s five minutes to nine
at the library, the warning blares.
The hunched hoodlum in the
corner settee wipes a dripping
blade on his cuff and gets
ready to push off unseen.
The student slinking between
the aisles bags two textbooks
he can sell his roommates.
A man rushes in breathless
at one minute to nine seeking
to pay his dollar fine. The librarian
pulls up his account on the
screen and turns to the man.
“Don’t judge me,” he pleads.

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