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
