Sitting minding my own business
Another unemotional Saturday
Then there was a commotion
Coming from the ocean
I had to look that way

A strangely dressed lady
Staggered out from the sea
Drenched like a mongrel
She intrigued me
Everyone was astounded
Some took photos
The lady looked agitated
Like she had somewhere to go

She pulled herself together
Took the normal exit from the beach
She was heading in my direction
She looked distant and out of reach
She definitely wasn’t Italian
She had a wicked gleam in her eye
When she was almost next to me
I yelled I don’t know why

I said “sit down miss
Pull yourself together
You are causing quite a stir”
She looked inquisitively at me
Sat in the seat in front of me
That’s when I noticed her hair

She spoke to me in an American accent
I knew that face and sinister grin
I had been keeping up to date with the news
And the audacious escape of Harley Quinn

The bar lady brought over some hot tea
I think she knew this American lady too
She gave her a warm hoodie
Just like old friends would do
With her hood up she covered her hair
I could only see her gorgeous blue eyes
She was very lady like sipping her tea
This Saturday turned into a big surprise

She told me she had to get to Rome
As her boyfriend was heading there
I said I think you need to get dry
And maybe eat some food
She asked me if I knew who I was
I replied I’m one of your greatest fans
But I’m one of the deadliest criminals alive
Doesn’t that not worry you at all

I said I don’t care about all of that
I prefer to drink tea with you
Than sit here in a fascist bar
Listening to the vile racist things they do
She said come along I’ve got to go
I’ve not eaten for a couple of days
So I took this American lady into town
Trying to hide her from the people’s gaze

As we walked along the promenade
I could see her studying the clothes shops
Every so often she lunged across the road
She had no money to buy a new top
With a savage efficiency
She had a complete new outfit
We went into a blind alley in the old town
So she can actually change into it

We had half an hour before a train left for Rome
So I treated her to some delicious pizza
She ate all kinds of different toppings
Lashed down with some birra
She had some mozzarella on her chin
The cute and deadly Harley Quinn
She asked for suppli and then some more
That strange lady washed up on our shore

Hey the train is almost ready to go
Let’s make a run for the station
A paid her ticket for the eternal city
We made it with only minutes to spare
No kiss goodbye not even a hug
Just a cheeky smile and a wave
She watched me as the train departed
Why did I feel she misbehaved ?

Only when I got home did I know why
When I found I was missing some items
No wallet no phone no identity
Harley Quinn took all that from me
I watched the news in the coming days
I was just looking for a sign
But she was heading to her boyfriend in Rome
And she would never be mine.
© Darren Hobson April 2021