Barista by Sarah Black art by Robinson Accola That kid, he's as sweet as a Twinkie. He brought me a Mexican Mocha in a bright red cup, the foam on top a curvy little heart. He's letting his hair grow, and the bangs are curling on his forehead like some guitar boy from 1967. Which I remember, being alive in 1967. He was born in 1987. Or possibly later. I picked up the cup, sucked the tail of the little heart into my mouth, cinnamon, nutmeg, sweet chocolate. He watched me drink, leaning over the counter on his elbows. I knew I had a little mocha moustache but I couldn't lick it off, not with him watching. My face flushed red. It wasn't a pink blush, like this pretty, soft-eyed boy would do, but a real flush, a hot flash flush, and I had to stumble like a fool out the door, stand in the street and let the snow blow cold on my face. All content in SmokeLong Quarterly copyright 2003-2012 by its authors.
	Sarah Black is a fiction writer. Read the interview. Robinson Accola creates artwork for SmokeLong Quarterly as needed.
	Issue Twenty-Four (March 18, 2009): Barista by Sarah Black «» Night Vision by Edmond Caldwell «» Star Man by Bill Cook «» Bluegills by Thomas Cooper «» Seattle Gymnopédie by Scott Garson «» One Night at Crobar by Shane Goth «» Scrapple by Tiff Holland «» What If The Dungeon Closes by Tim Jones-Yelvington «» Toes by Darby Larson «» The Hamster by Tara Laskowski «» Dirtclouds by Charles Lennox «» Moat by Ravi Mangla «» A Witnessing at the K&W Cafeteria by Heather McDonald «» Roots by Jen Michalski «» I Use Commas like Ninja Stars by Sam Nam «» Turtle Creek by Gregory Napp «» Prey by Susannah Pabot «» By Saturday, We'd Be Singing by John Riley «» At the Foot of the Mountain by Ania Vesenny «» Interviews: Sarah Black «» Edmond Caldwell «» Bill Cook «» Thomas Cooper «» Scott Garson «» Shane Goth «» Tiff Holland «» Tim Jones-Yelvington «» Darby Larson «» Tara Laskowski «» Charles Lennox «» Ravi Mangla «» Heather McDonald «» Jen Michalski «» Sam Nam «» Gregory Napp «» Susannah Pabot «» John Riley «» Ania Vesenny «» Cover Art "No. 41 - 2007" by Marty D. Ison «» Letter From the Editor