Martial Arts
by Mary Lou Buschi

    It was a shoe fetish note
    Carefully left on the hood of her car in a belly of snow.
    Stella felt her heart race and checked her heels.
    They were of the stiletto kind
    not kid leather, or red suede
    but patent leather that lasts forever.
    Whatever, someone noticed
    Now her life was exciting.

    She took the dripping note
    In her hands and looked around the stripmall parking lot.
    The other Judo students already pulled away.
    Each store timer was shutting off the main lights for the evening
    But they were not in sync.
    Stella thought it looked like a warning signal blinking
    A message that she was supposed to understand but didn't.

    Then she imagined him in a dark shadow
    Sizing up all three inches.
    Now she had a reason for heals and Judo robe
    After giving the parking lot one last look
    She caught a glimpse of her shadow.
    Her full hips in proportion to her hair
    Teetering on spikes.






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