February 20th, 2008
when i stepped outside this morning
it was so cold
my eyes began to water

i walked down the sidewalk
in my three hundred dollar coat
and i felt absurd
because my rent doesn’t cost
that much more

when my father came to visit
i took him shopping in soho
to find a coat for heidi
my father loves heidi
she has a beautiful toothy smile

he saw the three hundred dollar coat
and touched the fur collar
and smiled
when i tried it on
he grabbed my hand and spun me
“a vision” he said
and i knew
it did look nice
and i bought the three hundred dollar coat on credit

now i worry
that i look like i have
too much money
and that i might get mugged
because i wasted my money on
a good looking three hundred dollar coat

when they mug me
they will open my purse
and find
pens
a notebook
ninety-nine cent red lipstick
three books of poetry
one book of short stories
and a book called
a vindication of the rights of woman
some weird japanese candies
a pack of camel lights, half gone
with one flipped upside down
for luck
a dented cell phone
a pair of chopsticks i stole from a fancy restaurant
and a tampon

someone should tell all the muggers
to not bother with my purse
tell them they should just take
my three hundred dollar coat
and sell it
and make money
and feed their babies

but i wont be the one to tell them
because
i think i look nice
in my three hundred dollar coat
                        

ZYGOTE IN MY COFFEE. COM
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© 2008 zygoteinmycoffee Ink.
Three Hundred Dollar Coat
by Kendra Grant Malone