Vintage

By Chris Walden

Scrounging for spare change

to quench my thirst

at the lobby vending machine.

Nope – I’m a nickel short.

My last resort

is all that’s left.

Old as a relic,

rusty as a collector’s item,

but still tastes better

than your American brand.

Green-glass bottles

distort and paint light

like a dated mosaic.

Murky brown liquid

as though brewed

in a sewer.

Wait.

The seal is before

the days of twist,

ripping my flesh,

unmoving.

I’m so thirsty,

is it worth this

to try to open it?

Wait!

Mmmmm…

12 oz. U.S. can: $1

16 oz. U.S. bottle: $1.25

20 oz. U.S. bottle: $2

Paying 50 cents at a

Mexican mini-mart for a

chilled 20 oz. bottle

of classic Coca-Cola:

Priceless.