Dysfunction

Horror movie VHS covers with girls
pushing their breasts together and screaming.
A neon sign that only half works points the
way to the video games that are always
up to date with the latest releases.

The staff smokes joint after joint from
open to close and doesn’t organize anything
they’re supposed to. The manager is ill-equipped
to hold any power and relies on intimidation
and the falsification of paper work to keep things
even remotely under control.

Near the end of the night they lock everything
tightly away, wrapping chains around the door
handles, and pulling heavy metal blinds down
over the windows. They talk about how to be
better between their cars, under the lights that
rarely turn on, but tonight are actually there
for them, and give them each the space to
say their piece.