questionmark spine

Questionmark spine

blue bag

green plaid shirt

khaki pants

--   Excuse me

frightened                                                                                                                                              --   No  I . . I done nothing                                                                                                                      his right eye was swollen  shot through with blood  a scab across the bridge of his nose   

his left eye rheumy

--   Excuse me

--   No  I  .. no  . no

--   No you . . you dropped this . . .

--   I gots nothing  --  he clutched his blue bag raised it up before him  --  to drop

--   Excuse me  no  you dropped it  I saw you  As I crossed the street . . .

--   No it aint mine  Please I dont want no trouble  I got trouble I got no room for . . .

he held it out to him  folded  between his fingers  folded paper money  itd been creased  thin   

but some bills  filthy greasy bills

--   This is yours  You dropped it

his left eye went tense and it ran through his brain  and pockets  and pulled them inside out  cast out small stones and grit from the dry creek bed the crumble of dried brown leaves  bits and tatters of paper he scribbled with a pencil stub long ago  not remembering what he wrote if to someone to himself some last will and testament naming his name what to do with his body when they found it  His name whats his name he hadnt been called his name in a long time  Who cares

ah  that money  the old lady gave me  took pity on me  A bite to eat  Some coffee  Its not much just a little to help you

Why would you help me

You need help

I do I do need help

his eye narrowed  cropped the young man in its aperture  focused it

--   I remember I do Its mine

--   Yes  Yours

--   Thank you very much

--   Youre welcome

--   Yes thank you

he smiled

--   Youre welcome  Whats your name

--   My name  Funny you should ask  I was just thinking what my name was  My names my fathers name  Years ago fathers gave their first born son their names  Years ago  My name is Richard

--   Richard  Fine  Youre welcome Richard  My names Robert  My fathers name too

he extended his hand

Richard  Be well

Richard awkwardly extended his hand  suddenly terribly conscious of how dirty it was

the young man quickly took his hand in his and shook it

when was the last time someone touched him with affection

--   Thank you Robert  I had forgotten I had money

--   Not me  I cant keep money in my pockets for my life  It just finds its way out

he smiled

Dont spend it all in one place

--   No  Ill try not to

he watched Robert turn and walk away

he watched him walk until he took a corner some blocks down the street

he looked in his hand at the money

A bite to eat  Some coffee

and he remembered the bits and pieces of scrounged paper  the pencil stub  the bits and pieces like grimy lint  hed scattered them absently into a sewage drain when he found them

what was on them

he worked the bills into his front pocket as he walked again  unaware he reversed his direction

the plastic blue bag hanging in his hand swung slightly

1803,  Sunday,  27  7. 14

1456,  Wednesday,  30  7. 14