It was hard not to take her in
standing bent forward at the hips at the window
it almost made him feel like he
was leering when actually she was so
natural in pose so at ease no restraint or self-consciousness he nearly didnt recognize her at all
as easily she could have been red
and white gingham curtains at the sashes of a kitchen window
so very
natural and unassuming
nevertheless he dropped his
eyes
he may have blushed a
little
and
he hadnt blushed since he was a kid
honestly it felt good
and after the fact it was
downright hard not to look back up at her
really look and leer
not to would have been against any mans grain
even if it was impolite
chances were hed never lay eyes again on something as momentous
when something is rare itd be
wrong to do otherwise
so
he looked on hard
blushing
itd been years since he was
in the neighborhood
and rolling through it something in his brain pecked at him
reminded him
then he moved in his pants
he was doubleteamed
Oh shit!
he remembered
I
wonder
he pulled over alongside the
curb
stopped his car
briefly cleared his throat
and
found his legs to get out
the inkling had become etched
the
downright pattern for a criminal returning to the scene of his crime
he had to gather his bearings
somewhere around here
somewhere
then fat and lazy it restored
itself to his memory as if he saw it
through nightvision
its chattering grainy
limegreen lightning popping up and leading the way
he walked as if he were
intoxicated
it was fun taking the ride
just one more street up
a small
strip mall
he recalled three or four shops
then coming around the corner he
could make out the lousy Available Rental signs
like cop tape wrapped around a
crime scene or cheap chalk outlining a
murdered body
Corporate America was good at its
job it kept vampires going to their
dentists to hone their canines
all
the shops were blackeyed staring and
empty
through its plateglass windows the first shops linoleum was still
littered with refuge
the real estate
company hadnt even bothered to enter and sweep the floors
Pride in America
he supposed
if
America liked Main Street looking like an alley two weeks deep into a trash collection
Labor dispute
his heels clicked to a stop
Oh
man
the
years in-between fell away
still shameless still proud
almost
exactly what she was before
some curling yellowing at her edges
probably
the relief of the long shade thrown on her by an old oak tree in the adjacent
parking lot
she looked out at him leaning at the hips
and still he couldnt bring his
eyes up to read the bicycle manufacturers name in stylised print across the top
of the poster over her windswept hair
her face shoulders and chest were
too vivacious for such pitiful competition
No he wasnt too severe with himself when he
looked on her the first time
and staring at her again he
hoped wherever she was she might be able to feel his
eyes on her
the way he was feeling her eyes on him
then and now
1441, Sunday,
4 1. 15
2155, Sunday,
4 1. 15
