PATCHOULI MOTHERFUCKER

on his way in and out to smoke
every time he walked through the doorway
where I sat on my stool
checking IDs

he left behind the smell of a hospital
the odor of cleanly doom

finally, I said to a friend of mine
who was drinking inside

“man, come here. Do you smell that?”

my friend came in
sniffed at the air and scowled

“oh, I HATE patchouli! Fuckin’ hippies!”

he went back inside
and for a while I sat there wondering
why this hospital worker
maybe a nurse
or physical therapist
smelled so strongly of patchouli

or why the smell of happiness and love
so resembled the smell of death
sickness
and gloom