joking How did I get caught up in this conversation?
You were being a good host. her finger worked the lip of her glass
the second chimed You asked if our drinks needed refreshing.
Yes. I did.
Brought it on yourself.
So what’s your feeling on the
subject? her finger came off the lip
dipped in her gin gimlet touched it to her tongue
she was killing him
he looked at her friend
she was killing her too
Don’t be shy.
was he obvious
his nether shifted slightly
looked again at her friend
she seemed to have moistened too
finally he said Shy?
Are you going to have a hack write your
obituary? This had become the subject of conversation.
We enjoined it, because, well, frankly,
we agreed.
The others did not. They departed.
Evidently didn’t deem it polite cocktail
party chitchat.
he cleared his throat
Seems so. seamy
also occurred to him A hack?
I’m writing mine. she said absently stirred her gimlet with her finger A hack, yes.
She means, who knows us better than we know
ourselves.
So, therefore, our obituary should fall
to us, not someone who thinks they know us.
in unison they said as the grabbed his arms
with their free hands You get it.
they
grinned
he grinned joining in
So . . they just walked off?
Scurried. said twizzle finger
he asked Hack send them on their way?
No. I believe it was . . . obituary. I have
to imagine contemplating their death wasn’t in this evening’s scheme of things.
You seem okay.
I’m
a realist.
You won’t scurry away?
Not unless you need your drinks
refreshed. Ladies?
he crooked his elbows offering each an arm
Shall we proceed to the bar?
as they crossing the veranda the hacks
separatedformed a narrow avenue
quietly he remarked We must be what bane
looks like.
1525, Saturday,
22 8. 26
0924, Saturday,
29 8. 26