Whas wid the crazy tattoo man  Thought we had a conversation we werent into tats

embarrassed  We did.

We did  Whachanged

Anastasia.

Anastasia

                Not much of an answer

I mentioned was dating her.

You mentioned you seeing someone but you didnt tell me her namenot that you have to say Threefour months backyah

Yes. Just about four months; Anastasia was who I was seeing, am seeing. 

he pondered his response a heartbeat 

                                         Is this tat about her

he cringed

Youre cringing mancringing about a four month relationship thats had you toss something you had maintained wasnt possible  

         Though you didnt say Never

Anastasia . . is . . . compelling.

So compelling you crossed yourself

You wouldn’t understand.

A fuckin assumption  I havent known you to assume anything before

Don’t pick on . .  

. . Dont 

         Fill me in Im callin a spade a spade Weve known each other fourfive yearsneither of us is a pushover  Wha gives

What gives?

he didnt have to spin his Rolodex  

                                    Its evident sorry man  Pussys aplenty  It shes got you hoppingot you jumpin through hoops A tattoo when you havent ever had a good thing to say about one artful or not they turned you off  Now youre wearing a garish floral tattoo  I dont follow

tendrils vines leafy delicate ivy wisteria ran off the tattoo over his heart wound about his chest over his shoulders across his back growing downgrowing up crawling across his throat  

Theme tats cant be cheap 

I did only the one. he put his hand on his heart I did it to make her happy, she asked me to, damn near begged me to, she’s an artist. What’s over my heart is her work. 

                                                    The others, man, the other aspects have grown . . all by themselves.

Thats nuts

I’m telling you. 

                 By themselves.

he was incredulous Over how long

A week, a week, they’re like weeds. 

                                       I wake every morning and they’ve grown more, like a mind of their ow . . 

. . You talk with Anastasiatalk to her

She’s, ah . . she’s . had to go out of town, family, family emergency.

his turn to cringe 

                 Before or after

What do you mean?

Before your tattoos began growing  or after

Jesus. 

       Just before.

Is she talking to you

No.

Wheres she fromgrow up here

No. Russian, Russia.

Rural Russia

What do you mean?

Cosmopolitan  Moscow Saint Petersburg City city or rural

She said a small town.

A small town  Shes not talking to younot communicating

It’s a family emergency.

Exceeding your emergency

My emergen . . 

. . The freak thingthe spiderwebs growing all over your body

he pursed his lipsrubbed the two week stumble on his chin  

                                                                   mumbled Freak thing? 

Tattoos dont grow man

 

he was deadwas consumed three weeks later a profusion of vines and oddflowers laid in his bed in the depressionthe outline of his body like murder victims a chalk outline a vague silhouette

                                                                                 a vegetal caricature

he saw  he wasnt answering his telephone calls 

                                                    he broke into his place

cops tried to hang breaking and entering on him

Yah B & E I called from his place 

                                   Cocksuckers

 

very early morning,  Reggae Friday,  25  9. 20

1709,  Saturday,  26  9. 20

Edison Lighthouse  Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAfc5xnjb5U