Page 89 of The Black Flamingo

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You cannot unbake a cake

to make something brand-new.

You two are the ingredients.

“Why are you without your other self?”

“Where are you?” they ask,

when you are standing right there.

Other friends ask after you.

Your best friend is a mirror.

University

Uncle B drives me

and my stuff to university.

He tells me how proud he is,

asks what I’m excited about

and what I’m nervous about.

I don’t tell him I’m excited

and nervous about meeting guys,

having sex, maybe a relationship.

I tell him I’m excited to have

my freedom.

We’re five minutes from

our destination

according to his GPS,

and we hear sirens

and see flashing lights.

It’s the police behind us.

My uncle pulls over,

I think, at first, to let them pass,

but I soon realize that

they are pullingusover.

They ask my uncle

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