sacramento craigslist missed connections cento 

hope you found what you deserved and had a few onions! 

we met at thunder valley at mingle bar        your friend with the two pitbulls                        driving on 120 

manteca        marlboro black 100’s               you came along side 

i said I didn’t miss those days            but     bro 4 bro          that was kinda electric

something that i couldn’t see                        i been having bad luck for too long           i asked you the price 

i knew my chances were gone..but i might as well try here. i’m hopeful 

still thinking about you           i waited for you                        but maybe not long enough.                     back 

each week to try to bump into you again. 

thanks for remembering me. 

i almost hit you with my cart               don’t remember what you said because your voice made

me melt           inside. 

you were the last juror 100. 

you were striking and strange. 

you did face paintings in the peninsula. 

you were putting gas in your black kia. 

you were wearing medical scrubs 

you parked in the space for carts. 

you weren’t a professional face painter. 

every time i turned around you were there. 

wish i would have asked for your contact information 

wish i would have asked for your name. 

wished i had offered to pay for your groceries. 

should eat kabob and rice with zaffron together. 

should've gotten your number and ran you down 

with how you looked at me. 

well if u see this 

if ur the women that i seen 

if my gf wasn’t with me 

if you were a twin with the other guy 

i noticed your silver shoes at the ska show 

but….perhaps you’ll see this and want pizza and a tour. 

looking for a lady that wants to have a good time. 

¿me ayudas a practicar?

dudes like you make me want to pay attention 

wanted to ask your number after you asked if i wanted a fork 

        miss my buddy           the most human interaction i’ve had this side of 2018.             i still

think of you         miss ya         mic drop. beer crack. tshhhh 

got scared         it was very new to me.            I don’t know what happened

it’s been a while now            no one else     except her 

split oak for kat         we can re kindle our friendship haha punny guy i know          but seriously

my most sincere apologies.            we still have your wood ready 

tell me what is so unique about         late night lonelyness                         i’m still up 

7eleven whitney and watt ave 8:30pm          and you said does anybody need me and i 

whispered i do and you looked back. 

i had my daughters with me             and my foot in my mouth 

saw you on the loading dock at bob's furniture          saw you one more time before i left    

looking for my dl guy in oroville 

looking for a dancer 

looking for one eyed sara 

she doesnt have a phone 

old sheephearder         longshot but        meet me in the barn           i want to ride on your harley 

yes i’m that girl.            bored till you came along.                    it has been too long since i have felt

that type of freedom             and would like to experience it again 

i think you accidentally left 

what were you thinking? 

wanna do it again? 

we went back to see if you found it 

but you were gone

Romy Rhoads Ewing writes from and about Sacramento, CA often, where she was born and raised.  Her work has appeared in HAD, Oyez Review, Rejection Letters, Bullshit Lit, Major 7th Magazine, and more. She is the author of please stay (Bottlecap Press, 2024) and also edits poetry and nonfiction for JAKE. She runs the archival site SACRAMENTO DIRTBAG ARCHIVES and can be found at romyrhoadsewing.xyz.