Caren Krutsinger Poet Free verse

One Up You Beth

You think they are snooty to you, she said. Here is a story for you.
She is my friend, but I call her One-Up-You-Beth in my head. 
Because no matter what story you have
She will one-up it.

I had worked at a place for fourteen years, she told me.
Fourteen years!
She always says things twice.
Not sure why.

I saw they have a regular time to meet for coffee.
So I went.
I wonder where she saw it, but don’t interrupt.
For it I do, it will be a longer story.

I found it on Facebook, she adds.
Apparently reading my mind.
Fourteen F……ing years I worked with these people!” she says.
Adding this word early makes me a bit more curious.

I get there and I put my stuff down and the lady next to me says
“You can’t sit there. That place is taken.”
I say “NO she didn’t!”
“Don’t interrupt,” one-up Beth says.

So I move to a different place, all right?
I am wisely silent.
So at this second place I put my stuff and a lady says “That seat is taken.”
I begin to giggle.

“I am SERIOUS!” she says. “Deadly serious!”
So I move to third place and guess what?”
“No way!” I say.
But, yes, according to one-up Beth a third woman says
"That seat is taken!"

“So you left,” I guess. 
“Of course I did!” she says. 
“I would have too.”
I do not mention her tendency to monopolize conversations and one-up people.

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L Milton Hankins August 23, 2021 at 10:30 AM Obviously she isn't welcome among her peers, and I can understand why. The proper way, of course, is to ask, "Is anyone sitting there?" when, of course, no one isn't. Then, you say, "Okay, I'll take it" and promptly sit down. In her case, the seat beside her would be vacate, too, in short order. Caren Krutsinger August 24, 2021 at 2:27 AM I have a feeling they knew what they were doing the second they saw her come in. I bet they have done it to others too.