he said his name was Elmer

he misunderstood  Alvin    too much loud rocknroll

patiently

            No.  Elmer.

who names their kid Elmer

Elmer  Excuse me   Im Joe

they ran into each other on the street pedestrians few and faaaar between

                                                                                 he was walkinanreadin

What are you reading?

stuck his finger between the pages bookmarker closed it turned it so he could read the cover  The Body Keeps the Score

Oh.    I thought you were reading the Bible.

                                                I thought if you were you could pray for me.

Elmer had a homelessness look   frizzyunkept hair  crossbreed

they ran into each other a couplethree more times over several weeks

                                                                            Elmer forgot Joe

every time would ask him what he was reading

he showed him the different covers

Oh. I thought you were reading the Bible.

                                            I asked if you would pray for me.

Im not a praying man Elmer I can think good thoughts though

 

 

he woke

someone broke a window at the front of the house

he got upsat on the edge of the bed heldhung from his right a hammer a roofing axe

whoever  picked their way down the hall

his bedroom was the last room on the right

the directedoverhead nightlight threw their shadow on the ceiling    frizzyheaded

they enteredstopped  at the threshold

                                            Gotcha.  You pray?

Me No

           You

I’ve asked you to pray for me . . .

                                          Joe

Yesyadid Elmer  Had good thoughts for you then

    I asked you to pray for me.

You saw the books werent the Bible

unsheathing a knife   That’s too bad for you.

                                                     Pray now?

No

      You pray

Elmer stepped closer

                        Not for you.  Too bad.

God gives suicides a hard time

Suicides?

What do you think this is

                          suddenlyflipped the axe to his leftslammed it into Elmers cheststood brought the ballpeen hammerturned sideway down on his skull forehead collapsed watchtower went down into his eyes bridge of his nose halted its momentum

    assisted suicide

he saw Elmer coming before Elmer did

the knife thumped on the carpeted floor

Elmer dropped to his knees

 

    he didnt think Elmer was praying

2205,  Tuesday,  3  6. 25

1212,  Sunday,  8  6. 25