Lindsay Met Kersteen 1996 Poem by Terry Collett

You saw the girl
sitting
at the corner table
of the cafe
in Edinburgh
thin
ill looking
sipping the coffee.

You walked
over to her
and said
ye swatch nae weel.

She looked at you
what's it tae ye?
she said
buck aff.

You smiled
and sat down
can ah gie
ye something?
you said.

She looked
past you
at the small
cafe door
then back at you.

Chocolate
if ye want
she said
her voice softer
less hostile.

You went
to the counter
and bought
a few bars
of chocolate
and another coffee
and sat down again
and gave her
the bars.

Aw fur me?
she said.

You nodded
and smiled.

She opened a bar
of chocolate
and ate it quickly
eyeing you steadily.

What's in it fur ye?
she said.

Depends
you replied.

Depends oan wit?
she said.

Ye can bide wi' me
at mah place
you said
eyeing her paleness
and her thinness.

She ate on
looking at you.

After the one bar
she ate the other
sipping at her coffee
in between.

Once she'd finished
and said
she'd go with you
but had to go
to the toilet first
so she went off.

You sat there
watching
the other people
in the cafe.

She returned
after a while
looking white
and her eyes were red.

You both left the cafe
back to your place
with nothing more said.