he stopped at a friends for
breakfast before he walked to the docks to his boat to fish
he laid a coil of rope he carried
at the doorstep
rapped the screen door
COME IN.
Christ man, hamany times I gotta tell ya?just come in.
Donwanna catchya with your pants
down
Not something yaint seen
before.
he nodded absently
But ifya had
a gues . .
. . That dog aint huntin’.
abrupt
dropped it
I appreciate the invite
I appreciate the company.
the old
man had a specialty he liked to make but he didnt unless he shared his grandmother made it for him when he was a boy she was English Eggy in a Basket
they had it with black tea Ceylon
took his black old man like his with milk and sugar
they sparred they conversed
he heard something outside the door Excuse
me
What?
Something
going to the screen he saw a
boy entwinedwrestling a substantial snake
as he went through the doorway Wasnt yours was it
No it wasnt
I ought to let her snuff ya eatya
the boy couldnt answer a coil
over his mouth another round his throat was turning purple eyes bugging
I really ought to let her have
her way
he reached down touched the
pythons head
she relaxed her grip
sloughed from the boy
became a sloppy twist of rope
How stupid arya didnt belong to
ya Coil it boy then off hellaway
Catch your breath as ya do I know you Yours
he let the screen bangshut as he went inside
Aint ya gonna watch to see he
does it correct, man?
Doesnt
Hell answer to her
old man tskedtsked
Yause your magic
in the strangest fashion.
Nough
Teas gettin cold
6AMish, 2sday,
14 5. 24
1216, day-between-2-Ts, 15 5.
24