first i loved her
then i hated her
for being naive and
shallow and
just
like
everybody
else.

i hated her
because she had
her own phone line
a small house
but a beautiful house
and wonderful parents
and having no
idea
how beautiful her house was
or how wonderful her parents.

i hated her
for loving a boy
named matt linder
who, from the
yearbook pictures
she showed me,
looked exactly
like
every other
dark-haired
wide-eyed
american boy
that i had ever
seen
in my life.

i hated her
for her town
where everyone knew everyone.
her town with
ice cream shops
and wide pavements
and shoeshops with
mirrors
and trees
and trees
and pizza places
where the pizza boys
were riddled with
acne.

but mostly i think
i hated her
because i was
also
naive
and shallow
and just like everybody else.
no different from her.
with her
matt linders
and ice cream shops
and shoe stores
and pizza places
and wide open pavement.

and her stupid pun-of-a-town
called
Pleasantville.