I loved the women who ran the gallery

Betsy over 50

Regina in her 40s

Jennifer just under 30

I had a crush on Betsy

one day she tousled my hair

as I sat "guarding the exhibits"

(that is to say, reading E E Cummings)

and exclaimed Tom you're so weird!

Weird weird weird!

*

As gallery guards

we had 60 seconds to lock up

after setting the alarm

it was like some kind of game-show stunt

where you had to be fast fast fast

and heaven forbid the freakin' key would stick

(and it often did)

61 seconds? campus police would show up

& when they saw my student ID

most knew what had happened

& would let me go

one time a stickler cop

detained me and Ted Z

for twenty-five minutes

as he dutifully read our names

over the phone to someone

who doubtless pretended to give a hoot