Once upon a time I used to work my way through Jim's Bar in Carbondale, IL, with a small paper bag full of apples under my arm. I'd take out an apple and ask a lovely lassie,
-Would you like an apple?
One in ten would say,
-Sure.
I'd give her an apple and then I'd ask,
-Would you like to sleep with me?
-At four in the afternoon?
So I switched to later in the day.
-Would you like an apple? Would you like to sleep with me?
Then I'd simply get my apple back, sometimes with a bite taken out of it. Sometimes with the bite, back, too.
Once upon a time in the Midwest I'd work my way through Jim's bar around closing time with an apple in my hand.
-Would you like an apple?
A cross-eyed drunk psychology major (or such) would ask me back,
-Do I know you from somewhere? Can I offer you a drink? Hik!
I kept my apple.
I moved to the east side, the black side, of town.
-Anybody here want an apple?
It turned out to be a gay bar. The guys were all over me.
I moved back to the center of town, to Das Fass, where the steins were huge and Horst Wessel played almost constantly.
-Ein Apfel?
-The fuck?
-Would you like an apple?
-Go screw yourself with your Apfel.
Next woman.
-Would you like an apple?
-Was sagst du?
-Willst du ein apfel?
-Ein Apfel? Go fuck yourself, Apfel!
I was almost ready to.
I climbed up to the first floor where there were only a few tables, mostly empty. I plopped down and ordered a beer. The boss came around, then a few of his waitresses.
-Blablabla blablabla.
I recognized one of the waitresses, Bonnie. I knew her from Old Greek and from a lesbian friend we had in common. She recognized me and smiled. The boss looked at me, looked at her and said, so that even I could hear,
-Looks like your friend's dog just died.