Marla and I deciding on a wine to have with lunch at an Italian restaurant

‘M’ is for Marla
Or…
Marla is for ‘M’
Murder
Merlot
“Mercy!”

Marla is an old friend with whom I went to school
(school).
School was a grove of gum trees on a railroad siding
fair days under scented canopies.
Carefree conversation,
“NO FEAR OF THE FASCISTS!”…

We’d met one day in English class
She was a new student – stale faced and vacant.
She’d just killed her boyfriend and was completely off her face on,
“Merlot” – “a bottle of your finest” ,she said to the waiter.