bruce was in the same coffee shop as me
every night
he drew things
i was there because my husband worked there
every night

"wanna see an angel?"
he would ask the patrons
he would show them the drawings
of angels being spanked
and beaten
and rhinos in the corner

you could talk him down to the price of a refill
bruce was a gentle man
i watched bruce
he grimaced often

i worried about bruce

one day, bruce was kicked out
and not allowed back
for a long time

all the while
everyone
noticed bruce was gone

bruce was old
with liver spots
and wrinkles
that were at once
charming and terrifying

when bruce came back
we were all once
again
content with being
annoyed with him