Charles Bukowski — Hot Live

Hot She was hot She was so hot I didn't want anybody else to have her Now if I didn't get home on time, she'd be gone I couldn't bear that I went mad It was foolish, I know childish But I was caught in it, I was caught I delivered all the mail and then Henderson put me on the ninth pickup run in an old army truck The damn thing began to heat half way through the run and the night went on Me thinking of my hot Miriam, and jumping in out of the truck filling mail sacks The engine continued to heat up The temperature needle was at the end Hot, hot like Miriam I leaped in and out Three more pickups and into the station I'd be My car waiting to get to Miriam, who sat on my blue couch with scotch on the rocks And crossing her legs and kicking her ankles like she did Two more stops, the truck stalled at the traffic light It was all hell kicking it over again I had to be home at 8:00 8:00 was the deadline for Miriam I made the last pickup and the truck stalled at the signal One half-block from the station It wouldn't start, it couldn't start I locked the doors pulled the key and ran down to the station I threw the keys down, find out "Your goddamn truck has stalled at the signal, Pico and Western!" I ran down the hall Put the key into the door, opened it Her drinking glass was there And a note on the dresser Son of a bitch I waited until five after eight "You don't love me you son of a bitch" Somebody will love me, I've been waiting all day Miriam I poured a drink and let the water run into the tub There were five thousand bars in town And I'd make 25 of them looking for Miriam Her purple teddy bear held the note as they leaned against the pillow I gave the bear a drink, myself a drink and got into the hot water