he stared at the blue white sliver on the horizon compressed by a purplingsky above it
it looked like Time
what Time could be distilled into
the wind came out of the west
it smelled like
Time organic faintlychemical cool
like the perspiration at a winded childs throat too tired to get up out of
the yard time for a bath
Carry me, Daddy.
Carry me, Daddy.
That pooped baby
all she had in her were those three words
she noddedclosing her eyes
hed felt that exhaustion but nobody was going to pick him up
carry him inside the house
prepare a bath
bathe him
Time
a friend Arturo reminded him of Timethat sliver at the horizon
he was the most youthful ninetytwo year old man he ever met downright boyish his hair was still darksilvering a bit at the temples a narrow swathe running forward from his crown asif a hairdresser dyed it
impish
a photographer he had a cover a couple centerfolds published in Playboy in the 60s When women were natural he said
he loved beautiful women
his photographs exalted them
it was wonderful to befriend him
Arturo was dead now
and he wanted to use that sliver of Time to ask to convey Arturo you were ninetysix Why did you try to wash your feet in the bathroom sink
Dunno know. I suppose I wasn’t think.
he fell backwards and cracked his skull on the tub
Arturo hung on for two days
he was among the vigil
the doctor did what he could he wasnt encouraging he made sure Arturo comfortable he didnt make anyone else comfortable
if he could talk to the dead OH the questions hed ask
What questions
Of whom
Would he disturb their peace
Did he want his peace disturbed when he died for if he could ask questions questions could be asked of him
they could speak honestly without recriminations
theyd have a platform a soapbox
they could say what they wished to him through him (because the dead wouldnt lie would they)
not through himhe wouldnt say
he would hold their words in confidence
he knew a lot of dead people
1722, Saturday,
22 6. 19
1022, Day-between-Two-Ts, 26 6.
19
Nope no Alice Cooper
