he still locked the place down as if she lived there

she hadnt in a year

want?    desire?he tripped himself up  he didnt live by things that were unnecessary

need outstripped want

he deferred to his needs                             

habit?

before she was in his life he left his firstfloor apartment unlocked

he didnt haveto his mind anything anyone else would want

nobody stole books or records or artwork off walls

and should anyone break in while he was home

he didnt joke
           hed have enough to eat for weeks

others thought he joked

No
        he had a boss in Montana  worked for his inventory service  who taught him on the side how to butcher  how to bisect an animal cleave it into pieces then render cutlets steaks ribs meatbones
he taught him well

itd been a long time since hed been over half a cow a pig a lamb

but like learning how to ride a bike

                             after a few minutes to refamiliarise himself
itd be as if hed never been away from it

no joke

if someone took it upon themselves to violate his spacea precious inviolable space

no apologises could be offered    

or would be accepted

it was almost beyond him that he took deliberate pain to render their house impregnable

he could feel the tingle at his spine and in his hands to leave it wide open  daring trespass

above his desk hung a sign that he stole off a barbedwire fence in Montana
black letters painted on a whitewashed board 

                                     TRESPASSERS WILL BE VIOLATED    

as close to a mantra hed ever admit to chant

                                      trespassers would be violated      

0028 and 1134,  Friday,  7  7. 17

Killer Mike (feat. Emily Panic)  Anywhere But Here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BmqGtZtDGk