he looked up the brickwall alleyway
towards the nearer street
he expected her to come from there not up behind
him
the alleyway hadnt changed since
he left the cityout of state bangedup trash
cans sullen abused trash containers bits of paper refuse dribbling on the
current that swept in an through crumbling or peeling advertisements on the
walls he couldnt fathom why things were advertised
in the alley some were obliterated by highreaching
graffiti
traffic
it saw was garbage an delivery trucks occasional
cars sneaking shortcuts little foot
traffic hed been there fifteentwenty minutes no one passed
she wanted to meet him there
it just up the block was the movie
theatre
they had their
first date there a twin bill he didnt remember the movies he gave her the ticket stubs he remembered her sitting beside her sharing popcorn her eyes brightened by the light off the
screen
when the movie let out he walked
her home
they walked past this alleyway on
an impulse he pulled her into itaway from the citys eyes an kissed her their
first kiss he leaned against the chilled bricks
holding her
she kissed him
at her front door coachman
lanterns shining they
made her curfew they kissed again passionately going in she turned smiledasked
if hed call againYES she said that the
alley was the oddest place shed ever been kissed
he laughedwinked
he told her he intended to kiss her in odder places if she was willing
she gaspedlaughed he
walked home five miles hearing her in a loopseeing her bemused glee
Summers end he was drafted
the horror of Nam changed
him its futility stupidity
too many never returned home anif they did they
were changed some didnt recognise
themselves in a mirror an sometimes in a
mirror more than a reflection was returned
they hadnt seen each other in thirtyodd
years
he happened in the city
ran into a mutual
friend they remembered he hadnt encouraged him
what an item everyone thought he and she were that when he came back not if he came back
odds-on they were a good bet to marry
Mare still lives here.
I
didnt know
You ought to look her up.
he said that that was unlikely
Are you staying long? We could
have a drink this eveningtomorrow.
Im free tomorrow evening
Where you staying?
Loughrans joint just down from
the bus stop
You couldn’t do better than that?
Memories man
You remember Loughrans
Hey, between us.
It is
Good good, after dinner, say
Eight, Ill pick you up.
Sounds like a plan
that evening the telephone rang
in his room
it was the Desk
they asked if he wanted
to take a call Loughrans
maintained a switchboardhad always been a thoughtful establishment protected
their clients privacy
Who
A
woman, she said you’d know.
Fucking
guy he thought he outgrew being a
busybody
Yes I know Please put her through Thank you
You’re
welcome.
Hello
Hello, Joe.
Hello, Joe.
she stood
framed between the brick walls on pitted asphalt behind her the storefronts cars casually
passing he didnt have an angle on the
sky it was blue maybe it had fallen overcast he wasnt paying attentionwas dabbing memories
Hello Mare
she walked towards him
she wore a brimmed hat a camelcoloured kneelength coat
her steps were smart
she looked like she wasnt therelike a reflection
in a mirror approaching him it broke she
disintegrated in shards next step she reintegrated next disintegrated in finesparkling dust reintegrated
between many disintegrationsreintegrations he watched her saw the teenager he kissed
then a woman he didnt know
wouldnt know
still
something inside him was
contented
0836, Sunday,
28 11. 21
1222, Thursday,
2 12. 21 or 12-02-2021
Christina Yantzou VHS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ipEDFkFL_A
