24/7, 4.5 stars.

Jeff always loved me. And I him.

When I was a kid I used to go down

to the 24/7 on weekends

to see Jeff, him always telling me

“stay out of the back kid.”

A great big-boned guy. SUPERB EATS.

I always got the chicken-salad sandwich,

extra sours on the side.

(Jeff made them, sold them, stole them)

We did shots with the leftover juice.

Some friends and I used to burn ants

in the parking lot of the 24/7. Jeff

loaned us lenses from those 6 dollar glasses

to do it with. I had a taste for it—the burning.

I graduated in ‘04. I would use Jeff’s

blue Motorola Razr to call my girlfriend,

(Jeff’s girlfriend) and we would meet,

the two of us (mostly) alone grabbing

at each other in the back.

I still have a beer poster from there but the brand isn’t around anymore.

The freezer always had too much frost.

Jeff had to nail the place shut in ‘06

but we rode out the storm inside,

drinking his beer on my tab. The sign

blew away but all we could do was smile.

Time waits for no one.

RIP Jeff.

THE BLUE AND WHITE