he might have guessed
he sat across from himsat on metal folding chairs they
werent meant to be comfortable shaped in an rough oval to accommodate
all the menTHREE hours ten minute break halfway through fifty bucks a session fiftytwo
sessions
talk
about domestic violence
unless it was a
team sport
men dont bond
no gay circle jerks daisy
chains no lovefest
usually during breaks a couplethree
guys who took exception to what was said inside to them about their actions snarled at each other the facilitator smoking a cigarettehumoured took the briefest
moment to remind them if fists were thrown theyd be bounced from the program violate
their probation spend jail time prison time which would certainly be adjusted Up
almost a third were familiar being inside
the guy who made it a point to sit across from him
said as little as he did
during session “sharing” his was clipped unpunctuated run-onkeep up it had the makings of a game saying all he had to say in one breath the sole period provided when he took a
breath Fini
he didnt like him
but he didnt like anyone in the chamber
the guy across from him was small like a vial of nitroglycerin a jam shot looked
like an IED
he
wouldnt turn his back on him
threequarters way through the batterers
program he was riding a city bus
IED got onboardsaw him sat
beside him
the bus wasnt filled up
he said Isn’t this cozy? said it
facing straight forward
he turned his head took in his profilehadnt seen it before
One mans cozy is
anothers creepy
he turnedlooked him in the face I creep you? he tried to make it sound like it hurt
Somethinbout you man puts me offcant
put my finger on it but its somethin youve left
out of the ingredientsoff the menu
Ingredients? Menu? Now you’re creeping me out, buddy . . who the
fuck talks like that?
I do
I aint your buddy
I sat here to make nice.
Yacouda sat across the aisle and
made nice
But I like things up close and personal.
I don care whacha like
You don’t?
Ya heard me
Awright . . awright.
he stuck his foot into the aislepushed off
with his handgripped the bench with his otherslipped thin air and sit across
from him
Better? touch of a sneer on his face
Thank you Yah better IED
reminded him of a rat
So Bob whahave you left off out of your story
Not important . preceded this
bullshit, happened long ago.
I disagree our pasts make us who we arehave become why history is studied
Studied? I wasn’t much of a student.
I struggled to be a student
Struggled? he cocked to his to a side
Yah
Most things school taught didnt interest
me Had it I woudve been a good
studentthey woudve held my attention rather than me fighting to remain present
The sessions are like
school.
Bad school
Agree
Howbout that . . we agree on
something.
Yah
Yah.
IED noddedkept nodding was thinkingparsing sparring eyes
were far off
he jumped gently
Whas missing Your story
he turned his head faced forward
in profile it appeared he was weighing
it
he to be honest was
content not seeingwitnessing the twitch storm head on
Nam. I served two tours as a
tunnel rat.
he
might have guessed
1205, Reggaefriday,
19 8. 22
1129, Sunday,
25 9. 22
