she sighed and said You can take the boy out of
Chicago, but you cant take Chicago out of the boy.
Is that what you thought you
could do love
I don’t remember. The girls confused me. Our girls, yes. The other girls . .
They werent other girls
I know . . I know. But I thought there could be.
he started to step towards her
No. Stay where you are; stay put. Please.
I thought there could be.
There could have been, you can
answer me that. Honestly.
Have you ever known me to be
dishonest
No. You’re not dishonest, you’re not a dishonest
man, you’re principled, your ethical, you’re fearsomely honest and loyal.
And . .
And?
Yes And
Yes. I know.
You know
Yes.
Tell me Tell me and Ill answer your
questionhonestly as you asked me
Tell me
she dug her toe into the kitchen
linoleum
he put his left hand on the cupboard
and leaned on it disarming himself if she
thought he might do violence against hershed thought that many times
she asked many times Why don’t you slap me,slap me silly, bring me
to my senses?
he replied warmly he smiled
You have your senses Those are them
I asked you to tell me Please
You . .
Yes
You love me.
Yes
she wiped the tears that welled up
in her eyes with the heels of her hands
Yes I love you
And yes yes there
could have been There could have been if
I wanted Ripe for the picking
I was ripe for the picking.
Ohyes you were
And I picked you As you picked me We exchanged vows even if we hadnt
I didnt need to make vows
My vow was when I told you I
loved you
The rest was theatrics theatrics to please other peopleyour parents
my parents fuckin community society
I conceded because you insisted you insisted you wanted it and then
that was what I could give you
We didnt have a pot to pee in
she laughed her hand to her mouth We didn’t.
No I cant say that I was ever happier You you
made me crazy happy
I am sorry for your pain
But its not pain Ive caused you
he took his hand down from the cabinet and stood upright facing her
Try as I may I cant help you with it
I have tried
You have; you have you her voice broke hysterically you
have youhave her
hands went up before her face
he spread his arms to her opened them wide
You
shouldn’t have . .
I did
she choked on her tears sobbed silent into her hands spread open across her mouth
Maybe maybe youd like a Made in
Chicago hug
from a Made in Chicago boy
she sputtered in her hands
but the sputtering had a
different sound a relief like
the last of the air running out of a heavy toy balloon
he stepped towards her You know my hugs are hard
Yes
she stepped towards him
No one has ever hugged me like
you hug me.
No one has ever loved you like I
love you
she stepped into his arms
he gently wrapped his arms around
her they grew six incheseight inches longer
as he embraced herheld her his nose
pressed to her widows peak inhaled her
scent
No one has ever loved you like I love you
Yes
she struggling to catchto catch her
breath
No
one has ever loved you like I love you Yes
she exhaled sharply Yes.
Yes
Why would they?
My love
Theyre fuckin idiots
and arent worth a precious moment of your timeany time you lavish on them
If I was going to slap somebody
silly Id slap them into next week
she giggled like broken glass
into his throat
he kissed her forehead And now my love Im going to crush your ribs he hugged her hardhe hoped he could crush all the bad
air out of her lungs so when he released her she would inhale the odor of her cinnamon toast and
breakfast tea his orange marmalade English muffin and black coffee and that they would enter her and fill her
lungs
goodness
simple goodness breathed in
1250 &
2324, Thursday, 23 4.
20
Crosby Stills Nash &
Young Our House https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKYjUn-SBcg
