it was several days later
when he entered the tavern he saw
Fixture seated at the bar
his ithis or ithat stuck out of
his back pocket
it didnt seem likely that he was
going to need it today to cover his pint
he sat sideways this
afternoon the stools to either side of him
empty
the spiteful alcoholic haze that had
wound his head like a blindfold then had dissipated like wood smoke from forest fires erased by westerly currents sunsets no longer glared orange
by what he could see it seemed Fixture
had foregone his whiskies
a halfemptied pint sat at his
hands
cash wasnt splayed ahead of him on
the bar
the hyenas snappedtight leather purse
was a memory maybe
a reoccurring nightmare
Fixtures
not his
not his
her keen teeth or cooed lines her tentacles
or hooks couldnt scathe him
some people simply didnt appeal to
him
thenatasudden overhead he recognised the Beatles You Never Give Me Your Money playing Abbey Road You Never Give Me Your Money a pleasant reverie cloaked himhe silently mouthed the words one sweet dream came true today . . came true today . . . came true today . . one two three four five six seven all good children will go to heaven one two three four five six seven all good children will go to heaven one two three . .
thenatasudden overhead he recognised the Beatles You Never Give Me Your Money playing Abbey Road You Never Give Me Your Money a pleasant reverie cloaked himhe silently mouthed the words one sweet dream came true today . . came true today . . . came true today . . one two three four five six seven all good children will go to heaven one two three four five six seven all good children will go to heaven one two three . .
the counting did him good
it ground him
and grounded returned he could see again
Fixture
at the bar
who also seemed to be
counting
or maybe counting his pintshis
nonexistent unordered whiskies
his eyes roved uncontained by the blindfold the worried creases around his eyes seemed less defined the vigorous lines at his brow less furrowed
Fixture seemed free
or freer
PS a week later he read in the local newspaper Fixture had been arrested on murder charges
he didnt read furthur to learn
who
1727, Monday,
20 8. 18
1545, Twosday, 21 8. 18
1545, Twosday, 21 8. 18
Beatles You Never Give Your Money https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpndGZ71yww
