It's closing time, she said. The monster wouldn't budge. The monster weighed two tons. The monster had a crush on her. The monster sipped its beer slooooooow. The monster ogled her. The monster had protruding eyebrows. The monster's lips wanted a kiss baaaaad. It's closing time she said. I won't kiss you, period. Now get out of here. I'll call the cops, promise. She had that smile. The monster got up, had blurry sight, had drunken legs, crashed the chairs. The monster slimed its way to the counter, fished out a few coins from a skin fold. The monster fished out a rose from a skin fold, put it in an empty glass. The monster said, See ya tomorrow. She said, See ya tomorrow. Exit the monster.

She cleaned up the mess. She picked up the broken chairs. She washed the slime, mucho water. She pocketed the change, mucho money. She took the rose from the empty glass. She didn't throw it out, put it with the other ones, wilted roses from the previous nights.

She went home. She dreamt of two-ton monsters and little kittens.

It's closing time she said. The monster wouldn't budge. The monster had thighs like church pillars. The monster oozed college-boy sentimentality. The monster made sorrowful faces. She didn't/couldn't laugh. She didn't/couldn't show pity. The monster gargled tepid beer. The monster sobbed. I want to kiss you. She said, no way. It's closing time. Please get your fat ass off the ground. The monster oozed its way to the counter, fished out coins, fished out a rose, said See ya, exited.

She added the rose to the wilted ones, cleaned up the mess, pocketed the change, dreamt of kittens and potato flowers.

It's closing time she said. The monster wouldn't budge. The monster had eyelids like blankets. The monster wore a suit, black, shiny, rented, patched. The monster thought, am I handsome tonight. The monster thought, love makes me do things. The monster experienced a boost in self-confidence. The monster stood up too fast, made the table fly, made the glasses break. The monster felt awkward, embarrassed. She didn't/couldn't laugh. She didn't/couldn't show pity. The monster crept to the counter. The blanket eyelids protected him from what his eyes feared to see in hers. The monster dropped his coins, dropped his rose, exit. She dreamt of jingling coins and fearful mountains.

It's closing time, she said. The monster budged. The monster budged slooooow. The monster didn't want to break anything. The monster wanted to see her eyes. The monster wanted to look into her face. The monster wanted to watch her smile. She smiled. She