He flinched

I scarcely noticed

another acorn fell from the oak onto the metal skin of the Quonset 

 

he flinched

I noticed only because we were talking and I was looking at him

--   Are you okay

--   What

--   Are you okay

--   Im okay

--   Youre flinching

Are the sounds of the acorn falling bothering you

                                                                               

--   Sounds like gunshots

--   Theyre not

Theyre acorns falling

--   I know

--   You know

But you flinch

--   Maybe

--   No maybe

he was in-country longer than me

he reupped

I didnt

he had medals

I gave mine away

Are you okay

--   Yeah  Of course Im okay

--   Thought Id ask

another acorn fell 

he flinched

we were sharing a beer and talking

--   You believe in life after death

--   I believe life will go on after we die

Though not for us

I read that somewhere

--   Then you dont believe

--   I dont

another acorn another flinch

--   I wish that would stop

--   We could go inside

Its that time of the year  Fall

Acorns fall

Have a cigarette

Another beer

--   No

No thank you

--   No cigarette  beer

--   Either

he wasnt present

I wish it would stop

I didnt know which he was talking about

the acorns

or what made him flinch

--   We cant stop either

--   Either

--   Either the acorns

                                                                                                                            

or apparently whats making you flinch

--   No

I suppose not

--   You suppose correctly

--   It would certainly be nice though

another acorn

another flinch

I better go

--   You dont want to talk about it

--   I dont

something played against the back of his face  flickered like a movie shown on a white sheet

his face too opaque for me to see what

reminded me of some neighborhood brothers in Minneapolis who when they parents went out would show their parents blue movies against the front rooms thin curtains and did not recognise that the images flickering in reverse showed outside to the street

us neighborhood kids didnt breathe a word of it

but someone informed their parents

they got the tar whipped out of them by their folks

his face was too imperturbable

I better go

--   Im sorry you dont think I can help

--   No  You cant

You dont believe

--   I dont

I know too well that Hell is here  present

We descend into it here

It aint waiting for us when we die

Or is Heaven

--   I dont

--   No

Obviously you dont

  

1646,  Friday,  2  10. 15