the writing was going real
well real well
his characters were having a ball
seeing if he could keep up with them their antics banter snide remarks crude
innuendo their fascinating always fascinating evolution
more often than not they stood him
on his head
giving him the end of it all at
the beginning or dropping his riveted attention in the middle of the mire like
a gold coin dismissed with a casual flip of the wrist into a steaming heap of
dogshit
steaming without the benefit of cold
atmosphere
Whasdat smell Whasdat smell
they taunted
JaysusChrist he hawked
You want we shaddup
You can Youve given me plenty to
spin Better yetI gotta take a leak Ill
gag ya truss yous up with some sweet new knots Ive learned
they sat wideeyed
Whad
got into him
Uhh oh
Nice try Aah uh not too tight
just tight enough
glassyeyed like cold fish tame as
Teddy bears buttoneyes stitched firm not Made in China stuffed on sweets and
childrens dreams he put them away cleave-gagged without worry of stuffing he was the only one to hear them There he
liked how they looked
he put his pen down
flexed the stiffness from his hand
theyd been playing hard for
better than an hour
his beer was gone thin webs of dried head etching the pint
glass
a local pub
their double IPA sensational
it was called a double IPA
they didnt have a need to
christen it any more than say what it was
they had a son
frankly he had wondered if they were
going to name him son or kid
no Huckleberry
he happened to meet them walking
one afternoon carrying him in their arms
he met the babe
there wasnt a need to christen
him any more than say who he was
Huckleberry was a perfect fit
like double IPA
leaving his writing strewn across
the concrete high top Parsons table his screw-type woodseated stool askew he made
for the head
he caught the barmaids eye tipped
his head if she would please freshen his beer
she smiled over her lowcut blouse ample
bosomed and tipped her head in return
it was nice to inaudibly communicate
there was something to be said(it
goes without saying) for signing
in the hall outside the bathrooms
a guy was briefly unaware of his entrance as he studied himself in a long sideways
mirror
he interrupted his love affair
asking him if they were forming a line Its the afternoon for Gawdssakes
the guy shook off his reverie and
lust(he was sitting in pub with an attractive redhead(no small task)) and said
the mens room was locked Someones inside
The womens room is open You were
here first
I aint using the womens room
Its a mirror image of the mens
room he said and he helped himself to it
he washed his hands dried them on
a paper towel and played a simple layup off the wall above the gunmetal gray
waste pail for two
exiting the womens room the guy in
the hall wasnt paying rapt attention to himself in the mirror obviously his uncomfortable
bladder several minutes more full
he said Yours for the taking
the guy said You wont tell anyone(as
if there was someone he would – hmm maybe the redhead)
he replied I wont breathe a word
of it unless you dont put the toilet seat down and wash your hands
the guy went to give him an eyeroll
on both accounts
Or Ill say as much to
your friend in the bar She may be the next
to use the womens room
his eyeballs froze
in their glaze he saw the guys inspired
reflection from out of the mirror he troubled when he entered the hall he seemed by his own estimation a
considerable catch a real dandy
he tipped his head fishing for an
acknowledgement
as the guy moseyed up the hall
towards the womens room he nodded in agreement
inaudibly communication theres something to be said for it(it goes
without saying)
returning to the bar the barmaid
was bent over handsomely collecting his empty pint and replacing it with a fresh
one
she looked up
he eyed her double scoops and smiled Seems I have impeccable timing
she laughed Impeccable
Theres other words one might use
Careful Im a wordsmith
I might trouble you for what words your thinking
Wordsmith Then I can assume you have an ample(she
subtly tossed her chest ) imagination
I doI do Seems to swell at precocious times like
this
she laughed again
Well
then I should say Im pleased to help as I can
Youre extremely helpful Thank you
Oh youre very welcome
she readily piqued his
imagination
his characters twisted in their
bondage huffed behind their gags their Teddy bear eyes bulging
another cold beer
the redhead was leaning forward
over her cellfone exposing more cleavage than perhaps shed like
he took a sip sighed
Let the games
begin
he picked up his pen and unbound his playmates
1750, Sunday,
7 8. 16
1016, Monday,
8 8. 16
