she called out to him twice this morning

he was moving a bit slow 

joints stove up

he was slow coming out his desk chair on stiff knees

the second time she did he happened to be rising to take his supplements anyways so he wasnt inconvenienced

she rarely inconvenienced him

both times she called Babe and both times he answered Yes  Give me just a moment  Im still wretched

both times rising going down the hall walking stiffly staggering side to side to the bedroom like a Frankenstein monster at its threshold he saw she was fast asleep

he thought Christ Im slow I didnt think I was that slow

quietly as he could he went into the bedroom

she was fast deeply asleep

he didnt think she called the first time either

the roommates were starting to irritate him

beckoning him in her voice

mynah birds defrocked of any corporeal attributes or distinctions

rummaging his aching body

him like a dog to fetch and when wouldnt a dog go to fetch if its playmate cried Fetch

faking him with an overhead cast

Fetch! sounding like Babe!

mynahs shaved or scalped flensed or skinned gutted deboned useless needless apparel accessories or accoutrements for blue stubborn spirits either unwilling or unable to depart

his girlfriend recently mentioned the male roommate

he inhabited the hall

she said he seemed agitated

moving up and down the halls narrow confines quickly

only but a couple of evenings earlier

then early the next morning she saw him through the screened bathroom window pacing back and forth at the fence line parallel to the house and hall

his head turned to the house

a black shadow

he had no face

all the times he had revealed himself to him he suffered silently  furtive  cowering

the women were the chippies

affectionate

and had no qualms pursuing them entering their bedroom where they clung in the corners or hung suspended full-bodied over theirs their faces within arms reach taunting

the youngest tempting

though he assumed she hadnt earned her succubus stripe yet

                                                    Thank Gawd
it was bad enough they mimicked her voice

0808,  Saturday,  4 6. 16