Charles Bukowski: I thought the stuff tasted worse than usual

I thought the stuff tasted worse than usual

I used to drink with Jane
every night
until two or
three
a.m.

and I had to
report for
work
at 5:30
a.m.

one morning
I was sitting
casing mail
next to this
healthy
religious
fellow

and he said,
"hey, I smell
something, don't
you?"

I answered in the
negative.

"actually," he said,
"it smells something
like
gasoline."

"well," I told
him, "don't light a
match or
I might
explode."