Ohbrother he thought  I hope thas anchored

                                               a towering cubbyhole couldnt makeout its top row

to one side was a slightlyinclined ladder affixed low and high he assumed with rollers that provided access above ones reach

guessed twentyfivethirty cubbies per row inside each and every one were tchotchkes  unique

they made him think episodes experiences witnessings readings writings learnings

                                                                             Ohshit

it occurred to him His cubbyhole  holes

 

had to test his theory

closed his eyeswalking side to side he reached up stooped down purposefully disoriented himself become senseless to several tchotchkes he had admired

                                                    randomly

                                                    reached in

                                                    withdrew it

opened his eyes

half of a heartshaped rock

its broken face coarse silicate flecked

reverse side weathered smooth

a sliver of a rock not fourfivesixteenths wide

if square inchanahaf at most

                                   remembered a gift from Hallie that she plucked from the west branch of the Bitterroot River below Darby on a trip she made alone through Idaho Montana Wyoming Grand Tetons returned through Idaho Oregon sidestepped Nevada south through Burns Lakeville Californias Susanville

they talked every evening when she went to bed

he was in theirs

he remembered

 

he backed away as far as he could

                                          still hadnt the angle to see the top there had to be a top

chuckled

             Theres there there

229preferred,  Sunday,  19  7. 26

1225,  Tuesday,  21  7. 26