It’s sitting between them,
Coca-Cola red with VALERY
written across it in black ink.
It’s about half an inch thick
and the length of a share bar of Dairy Milk.
Valery’s eyes are staring into
the mouth of the person
who placed her card on the table.
She’s trying not to look all the way down.
She distracts her thoughts
with a sip of Toblerone hot chocolate
and does what she can to listen
to opinions about consumerism.

© Carl Burkitt 2022