his brotherinlaw niece and nephew
slept on the wooden bedroom floor
a blanket under them a blanket over
them a pillow
SiriusXM played music through
Bluetooth on a Bose soundbar
they had selected and nonstop were playing
The Coffee House
his sister really liked the station
Hospice told them that hearing was the last sense to go
he had read or heard that himselfnot that he could remember
he had no idea what Hospice based it on
he had no idea what Hospice based it on
maybe they just read or heard what he did
common knowledge
unimpugned
he couldnt sleep any more than he could hang up with her when shed say I better go. I’m wasting your time.
No Youre not wasting my time I love talking with you If youre tired or if you need quiet okay You never waste my time I adore talking with you
then his brotherinlaw called and said she
was declining he
didnt believe it he hadnt slept well in weeks he quit
dreaming
now he was in Chicago Illinois in the bedroom where his niece and nephew had slept when they were babies
his sister was unconscious had been unconscious for seven hours when he
arrived
he held her handher fingershis thumb
inside of hers
she didnt hold his hand
he whispered to her
everything he said she had heard before they talked nearly once a week for yearsfive years he knew that because he moved into his new place five years ago after a fire turned him out of his apartment
it was after three in the morninga
digital clock on the nightstand informed him
he hated digital clocks
if a clock had arms kids didnt
know how to read the fuckin time
he was from California after one oclock there
a hushed voice came over Sirius
he wasnt interested in what
anonymous had to say
Aww
baby I love you so much
he whispered
Come away with me in the night played over the Bose
he caught his breath
silently he wept
I
cant baby I cant
0340, Thursday,
30 8. 18
1317, Thursday,
13 9. 18
Chicago Does Anybody Really Know What Time It
Is? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uy0ldI_1HA
Norah Jones Come Away with Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdrmaJtJj_8
Boards of Canada Dawn Chorus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O63vBvgQfUU
