༺ Yarn ༻

the taxi driver
kept taking me to shops
carpets, suits, jewellery
all over Chennai
it got boring

one place had a glass case
with bright lights
and incredible sapphires
I asked to see one

the guy unlocked it
and took out a cushion
with the biggest glittery rock
I’d ever seen
a blue that sliced
and thrilled

he handed it to me
I took it
my hand forming the starting position
for the ‘French Drop’
the simplest sleight of hand
and ‘boff’ it was gone
I couldn’t help it

reaching over
I pulled it out of his ear
and gave it back
but he’d already pressed the alarm

two big heavies
materialised out of thin air
like genies
and frog marched me out
laughing
helplessly

me
not them