Mary starts her annoying mantra
at least once a day
“All you like me for is sex.”
which is not true
Mary is as dry as the Mohave Desert.

I cancel plans with Mary one evening
to meet a friend for a beer
as I approach the bar
I notice four men beating and kicking
a man on the ground in an abandoned gas station.

I yell , “Stop. Can’t you see he’s hurt.”
when I get nearer they decide to start hitting me
you’d rather fight 30 men than 4 because
the 30 will get in each others way and hit each other
but 4 can twirl you around like a top
taking turns hitting you from all directions.

while I am trying to fight off the 4
the miserable piece of shit
I try to help runs away
I limp back to the car with a dislocated
arm a broken nose, and a face that
looks like yesterday’s hamburger.

before I go to the hospital
I drive to Mary’s
after she wipes the blood off my face
and feeds me soup
we have sex.

I scream in pain like a wounded animal during sex
because of my dislocated arm and broken nose
then I drive to the hospital
using my good arm to drive
and my good eye to see.

I learn two painful lessons that night
Mary is right about the sex and,
never help a man while he’s down.