Thats it
thatd make a mother proud
put spring again in an old
mans step
he walked out of the bathroom
and down the hall to the mudroom to take a piss
howd that work
deep sink yah
but he could have gone up the
hall to the kitchen if he wanted to piss in a sink
hell for that matter there was a castiron sink and
washboard behind the garage he could piss in
or
slip a loose plank in the gray weathered fence behind the garage and go into the
vacant field beyond
a broken ornate stone cistern was
there it might enjoy a refreshing splash
it was all that remained from a fire years ago
the houses charred remains were
bulldozed into its cellar and what didnt fit were spread across the large
property
on rare hot days a smoke scent
emanated from the ground
the family quit trying to sell the property
their deranged son who started
the fire in the livingroom died there
upstairs his younger brother and sister died there
wherever it was he thought he
was going
or maybe like him
a slip of the mind
at crossed purposes
distracted by quivering shadows
moving across the walls of his skull without actors or props to cast them
or a pinhole camera working off
the light shining in through his eyes
he did something he wouldnt
normally do
became untethered
and once begun there was no
taking it back
he stood framed in the mudrooms
doorway strangely tempted
nobody would know
but thats not the point
or ever the point
hed know
not conscience or guilt
his
you didnt piss in a sink
thats when you dont do things
not coerced thought you might be seen
so you didnt
the twist was as he saw it some
people wanted others to know what theyve done
eventually theyll say
or hint elaborately at it
they say or commit suicide
disregarding the innocence of others
1423, Saturday,
12 7. 14
