It was hard to make them out in
the dark
through the windshields through the side
and back windows fogged with breath and other humidities
his eyes were still tinged with
the infection of electric light from indoors
he should have negotiated the
night earlier
finished the last of his beer stein with his eyes shut
it wouldnt have been odd or even
noticed
he sat inside four five strides to the door facing it
while behind him sexual curiosities were being vetted cheeks pinched cheeks slapped
and
the warming tepid uproar that preceded an orgy
a congregation of flesh
the room had that smell to it
the door was directly in front of
him around the edge of the table nearest
to it
he wouldnt go errant in those
steps if he had shut his eyes
eyes shut no matter
he had a knack in the darkness
the same knack that helped him unwind
from inside out mazes
how they came to him was beyond
him
but he recognised them when he
was young and used them to his advantage
they were critical when he was on point
behind his eyes discrete
nobody could tell for looking
and while they didnt look the nobodys clung to him like fleas to a
dog unquestioningly
so many times he had been their
silverlining amid horrific firefights in
utter shitstorms and yet they emerged reasonably intact
he was a silverlining without
thought without gallantry
no
medals to be bestowed
time and again he stilled his
superior officers hands who wanted to
recommend him but he insisted rather
they really ought to chalk up their combined fortunes to Providence
Providence played well
if God touches or takes you by your arm who was he to argue
and while he argued Providence he had no belief in it it wasnt formed of human grit perseverance or
aware-deliberation
he set down his emptied beer and exited
the hall
he entered the darkness blind but informed by his other senses
hearing -- that wasnt
right -- right
was what was right for him
all the cards belonged on the
table
smell -- despite outofdoors it smelled like a clasped room
full of cocks
he wasnt surprised when his
nightvision glummed back and helped orchestrate his nibble though drunken walk
through the blued frames of
automobile windows faces were
contorted
naked bodies were
pressed against them
there were men on men irascible
violent cunning cumming
yanked arms strangled throats and
bulging eyes
slaps on rumps and chests gripped wrists and hips
and groaning cumming again
outofdoors
it smelled of Comet cleanser fresh-scrubbed bathtubs and toilets
he walked off into the woods beyond
beyond the cauldrons in the cars
to the safety and Providence dark provided him
beyond the cauldrons in the cars
to the safety and Providence dark provided him
1621,
Saturday, 8 8. 15
1037, Nagasaki Sunday, 9 8.
15
