No
Yes. I'm afraid so.
No
I’m tellin’ ya.
Youre tellin the wrong person
With tha admission Im tellin everybody I know anybody who will heard me
out Ill be wallpapering the town with your . . . I cant begin to tell you the joy youll
be bringing into the world
Ive thought of that.
And you’re the perfect messenger to delivery the goods.
Im beside myselfI cant hardly wait
conversation veered to their families
the summersuddenly
behind them Howd tha happen We take our eyes off the prize not
realising it has a momentum of its own, it won’t rest on its laurels.
Time
for me to go. their goodbyes tilted her like she was admonishing time anguished
Time
Already
Talk about freakin
momentum
I’ll check my calendar, midOctober . . .
Wha works for youspread it around Im easy
chortled
Yeah. I’ll wallpaper the tow . .
.
. An don think I wont
he stood before she did as his Maw
taught him You be a gentleman went around behind her helped with the chair helped to her feet
You’re such the gentleman.
I wasnt my Maw woud
materialise an yank me around the room by my ear What did I tell you? You woudnt want to meet her in an ugly mood
You’re parents did well.
As well as coud be expectedworked with
wha they had Me
Yeah.
Wasn’t much there. smiled dimples deep divots in her cheek loved seeing her smile
they gathered their thingszipped closed
backpacks went out of the coffee shop doorway side by side
he took herheld her backpack while she took a knee to unlocked her bicycle chained to a parking meter
a
young woman approaching them walking up the sidewalk turned her head birdlike with
curiosity as she watched her turn the tumbler on the lock
Behold he said startling
herstartling them both This adept woman occasionally listens to audio
books on shuffle
On shuffle
Gimme my bag . . .
Toldya beautiful wallpapering the town
he gave her a bear hug
she returned
it
handed her the backpack
Youll check your calendar Im
gonna miss you until then
Notorious
1340, Sunday, 20 9.
26
0900, Saturday,
10 10. 26