he paid more attention to girls
and women than to men but he would
naturally men didnt interest him
women when he asked he appreciated that the asking in itself was a
predicate a leverage or suggestion they admitted that they paid more attention
to boys and men however not to the
exclusion of women
as he excluded men
they noticed other women
he recorded talleymarks on the
concave walls of his skull crossed the
four hashmarks with a diagonal line to make them five in the appropriate
columns he fashioned to differentiate the sexes
his data was prejudicedleaned-heavily
with results from women as would be
expected
men didnt interest him
as he walked up on the bridge he
was anxious to cross it for on the far sidesince the winter rains had filled
the creek beneath it he noticed a turtle sunning itself on a broken
concrete abutment which was probably once a footing of the bridge that preceded
this artful arched steel one
in his hurry he was oblivious of the teenager who approached the bridge from the opposite side and it wasnt until he stepped sharply to the
railing that he realised he cut her off
made an impediment of himself
Im sorry please excuse me distracted he mumbled an apology he was already at the railing looking
down over its edge to see if he could see the turtle randomly crossing the bridge he walked everywhere he could
he often saw the turtle
his distraction attracted her
she stopped at the railing beside
him Whatcha looking for?
A turtle
I don’t think there are any
turtles in the creek.
No Theres oneIve seen him several times so whenever I cross the bridge I cross it on
this side to see if I can see him or her again
he looked up brieflylooked her in
the face
she raised her head and looked at
him
Hello he said
Hello she replied
A turtle?
Yes There he
pointed there near
the bank on the broken slab of concrete
just beyond the water
Oh goodness. I see.
I didn’t think anything lived in
the creek.
Its a nice affirmation isnt it
Hello he called down into the creek bed at the
turtle
he turned to her again I always say hello
she didnt skip a beat Hello,
turtle!
Have you named him or her?
No Naming to me is a kind of possession We cant possess a wild thing can we
she smiled No. You’re right. We can’t possess, or should
want to possess, a wild thing.
Agreed We need more wild things in the world
That’s a funny thing to say, don’t
you think?
No Wild things are dying offbecoming extinct at
an unrelenting pace Just walking into
town Im now returning home walking into town I found the remains of three
squirrels that had been run over
Terribly I might add Im not at all confident that the drivers who speed
on that side street were troubled that they ran them down
Its only a squirrel
Which you don’t believe; it’s
only a squirrel.
No I dont It has every right to life as the clown who
ran them over
It hurts the heart
Yes.
Yes
the teenager was Hispanic Mexican
light possibly mixed startling green eyes compacted curved long thick jetblack
hair wide-eyed
It was nice talking to you,
seeing the turtle, that was really nice.
Nice talking to you
Goodbye.
Goodbye
he stayed a couple minutes longer
watching the turtle sun itself
it never moved
stillness is a kind of camouflage
hidden in full sight
Awright pal Hope to see you again
walking away from the bridge he
made another talleymark on his skull the
teenager was yet another female he noticed and he noticed
what he liked best about her was who was raising herwho taught her her confidence
her head up not averting her eyes not fearful to be inquisitive who taught her her judgment of character her discernment to meet a stranger on a bridge and look and
see a turtle
hed bet the next time she crossed
the bridge shed look for the turtlethe next time she walked along a road shed
look for a hapless crushed squirrel
Yah he said out loud Im not a betting man but Id bet she will
1602, Friday,
3 5. 19
1048, Saturday,
4 5. 19
