There was a time
when she drank normal Coke from the plastic bottles
and ate one large popcorn with every fixin’ at the movies
and maybe a hotdog
and if she went with her dad, she’d probably grab some Junior Mints too

And then there was a time
when she drank Diet Coke from the silver can
and ate one small, butter-free popcorn
and never a hotdog
and if she went with her dad, maybe a lollipop

And after there was a time
when she drank Coke Zero
and didn’t get popcorn
and couldn’t even look at the hotdogs
and if she went with her dad, maybe a piece from his popcorn

And even later there was a time
when she drank diet coke and rum
and cried with longing if someone offered chips
and gagged at the sight of meat
and she didn’t go with her dad anymore

And after this there was a time
when she stopped drinking Coke and started doing it
and she brushed the white powder onto a piece of paper
and she breathed it in
and she didn’t eat anymore
and her dad left her alone

And today, in this time
when she stops with the wrong coke
when she starts buying the right Coke
when she doesn’t have it diet or zero
when she eats popcorn and hotdogs
and maybe if she goes with her dad again she’ll get Milk Duds

And when she looks again
and when she breathes again
and when the world starts moving again
but when it all begins
maybe it will be too late for the Coke.

Maybe it will be the time for a Pepsi.