Tuesday night he goes out driving. It's spring break and no one's home and everything's closed and so something's got to keep him from picking at his fingers, anyway. He gets as far as the state line before he stops at the gas station to marvel at how low the prices of cigarettes are, and then he looks up and calls it a night. He's not going to get far enough away from the city for the ugly orange glow to stop blocking out the stars, so what's the point really?
He considers it again on Wednesday a little after midnight, but eventually he gives it up. A band-aid will do just fine to cover up that blister on his right thumb, and there's nothing wrong with staying inside for an entire day.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Briefly Imagined Conversations
2:30 AM, a dark dorm room. SAM is getting into bed.
SAM
Alright body, it's pretty late and I have a midterm pretty early tomorrow. Time to go to sleep.
BODY
Nah.
SAM
What?
BODY
Nah, not really feeling the whole sleep thing right now.
SAM
What do you mean you're "not really feeling the whole sleep thing right now"?
BODY
I'm just not really tired. It's not sleep time.
SAM
It's 2:30 in the morning.
BODY
Yeah, I know, we'll sleep later. I got you, bud.
SAM
No, I have class later! We have to sleep now.
BODY
No, no man. Sleep later. This is the "lie horizontally in the dark and be alert and worrying about the future" time. Should last about forty-five minutes I'd say.
SAM
Forty-five minutes?
BODY
Yeah, and then we'll sleep for like a good nine hours. Shit will be so cash.
SAM
No, no, listen to me: we can't sleep later. I have to be up early tomorrow. This is when we have to do this.
BODY
No, remember that twenty minute nap you took at 4:00? That means we can't sleep for another 11 hours.
SAM
What?
BODY
Yep.
SAM pauses for thought. He turn onto his back. His roommate sniffs.
SAM
Okay, look: I'm just going to lie completely still until you get tired. Please, please, please try to do it as soon as you can.
Another beat. SAM lies completely still.
BODY
I'm hungry.
SAM
Alright body, it's pretty late and I have a midterm pretty early tomorrow. Time to go to sleep.
BODY
Nah.
A beat. SAM freezes.
SAM
What?
BODY
Nah, not really feeling the whole sleep thing right now.
SAM
What do you mean you're "not really feeling the whole sleep thing right now"?
BODY
I'm just not really tired. It's not sleep time.
SAM
It's 2:30 in the morning.
BODY
Yeah, I know, we'll sleep later. I got you, bud.
SAM
No, I have class later! We have to sleep now.
BODY
No, no man. Sleep later. This is the "lie horizontally in the dark and be alert and worrying about the future" time. Should last about forty-five minutes I'd say.
SAM
Forty-five minutes?
BODY
Yeah, and then we'll sleep for like a good nine hours. Shit will be so cash.
SAM
No, no, listen to me: we can't sleep later. I have to be up early tomorrow. This is when we have to do this.
BODY
No, remember that twenty minute nap you took at 4:00? That means we can't sleep for another 11 hours.
SAM
What?
BODY
Yep.
SAM pauses for thought. He turn onto his back. His roommate sniffs.
SAM
Okay, look: I'm just going to lie completely still until you get tired. Please, please, please try to do it as soon as you can.
Another beat. SAM lies completely still.
BODY
I'm hungry.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
In Death, as in Life
Mayford County, Georgia: In death, as in life, Gladys Lee Pierce wakes up early to make breakfast for her husband Joe.
There was an understanding between them that he would be the first to go - she was stronger; she was born to play the affable, white-haired southern matriarch - and so when she got run down in the Kroger parking lot down by 78 Joe was understandably upset. The funeral came and went, and, now, finally and weeks later, he runs out of the tuna salad and roast beef his children brought him upon his wife's passing. They fly home. He watches a lot of TV.
And then Joe wakes up one morning and there's an omelette in front of his spot at the kitchen table - ham and celery, his favorite. This persists for the next week straight: raisin bran with a banana cut in, oatmeal and brown sugar, french toast. No explanation, and yet it is undeniably Gladys' cooking.
On Thursday he sets an alarm and wakes up early and she's not there but there's a plate of grits waiting; on Friday he stays up late and when he finally passes out on the old recliner a strawberry shortcake sneaks onto the counter.
And I mean that's it. Joe never sees her again. He takes up fly fishing again, he spends his evenings at the billiards hall down the street. And when his family asks him how he's doing he tells them: I'm eating alright.
There was an understanding between them that he would be the first to go - she was stronger; she was born to play the affable, white-haired southern matriarch - and so when she got run down in the Kroger parking lot down by 78 Joe was understandably upset. The funeral came and went, and, now, finally and weeks later, he runs out of the tuna salad and roast beef his children brought him upon his wife's passing. They fly home. He watches a lot of TV.
And then Joe wakes up one morning and there's an omelette in front of his spot at the kitchen table - ham and celery, his favorite. This persists for the next week straight: raisin bran with a banana cut in, oatmeal and brown sugar, french toast. No explanation, and yet it is undeniably Gladys' cooking.
On Thursday he sets an alarm and wakes up early and she's not there but there's a plate of grits waiting; on Friday he stays up late and when he finally passes out on the old recliner a strawberry shortcake sneaks onto the counter.
And I mean that's it. Joe never sees her again. He takes up fly fishing again, he spends his evenings at the billiards hall down the street. And when his family asks him how he's doing he tells them: I'm eating alright.
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Office Hours
Oh, Timmy! Please come in.
No, it's no trouble at all, that's what office hours are for. What part specifically were you having trouble with?
The blocks, of course. When I saw you knock down Clarissa's tower and then stomp on her juice box I figured you might be encountering some difficulties. Let's just take them out here and see what we've got so far.
Okay, see, right away, you're trying to start out with this triangle piece as the base of your structure. That's going to be a problem because- well, try to balance this other block on top.
Exactly! So what could you maybe use instead?
You know we don't mix the blocks and the play-dough.
Yes! The square block would be perfect. Give that a try.
Well, I'm just glad I could help you out. Is there anything else you wanted to go over?
Sure, we could do that. Let's just see what your notes look like, did you bring your- yeah, see, again, right away, Batman isn't a month. What could-
There's no need to be vulgar, Timmy.
No, it's no trouble at all, that's what office hours are for. What part specifically were you having trouble with?
The blocks, of course. When I saw you knock down Clarissa's tower and then stomp on her juice box I figured you might be encountering some difficulties. Let's just take them out here and see what we've got so far.
Okay, see, right away, you're trying to start out with this triangle piece as the base of your structure. That's going to be a problem because- well, try to balance this other block on top.
Exactly! So what could you maybe use instead?
You know we don't mix the blocks and the play-dough.
Yes! The square block would be perfect. Give that a try.
Well, I'm just glad I could help you out. Is there anything else you wanted to go over?
Sure, we could do that. Let's just see what your notes look like, did you bring your- yeah, see, again, right away, Batman isn't a month. What could-
There's no need to be vulgar, Timmy.
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