Page 60 of Crank (Crank 1)

---

these three guys

in Raiders jackets

semicircled me.

Hey, baby,

can we help you wit’ som’thin?

I Tried to Be Cool

Tried to sound tough,

asked if they could

spare a smoke.

Sure, baby.

Anything you want.

Took a cigarette, bummed

a light, and with a soft “thanks”

tried to amble away.

Hey. Where ya going?

You ain’t in a hurry, are ya?

They weren’t big, not football

players, but I was outnumbered

and felt it.

Yeah, what kind

of thanks is that?

The circle tightened,

moving me back, away

from the safety of the street.

Damn, you are

a fine little piece.

Think. Think! But my brain

moved too fast to process well.

My eyes gave it away.

Yo. I think this bitch

---