Bad Company

Business grew out of need;
Chinese factories boomed,
blossomed like gutta percha trees
along the Yangtze. Entrepreneurs
Tommy Bolt and Ricky Bill began,
“Bolts Are Us”, manufacturing
deadbolts for steel doors:

“Did you bill Wang Ho
Industries for the
latest shipment?”
Tommy asked Ricky,
studying yet
another bill.
“Yes,” he replied,
giving it a look.
“That bolt is titanium
finished,” Tommy stated.
“I know…” Ricky began,
but stopped short
when he saw
Tommy bolt out!
Ricky, white-faced
as if blood quit,
followed Tommy
into the street.
Ricky found Tommy
slumped by a lamp.
Sobbing, a Titanium
Finishing bill in hand,
Tommy said,

“Ricky, this is my fault.”
“I gave Titanium
incorrect information
concerning the finish.”
“Wang Ho Industries got
the wrong finished bolt!”
Ricky eyed Tommy narrowly,
then replied deadpan, as
if in a bad comedy:
“Bolts is finished.”


40 Lines
Writer’s Camp Winner
7-6-19

Using three contronyms:
(A word that can also mean its own opposite.)

—bill
—bolt
—finished