the tacky old woodslat folding
chair at the edge of the streetno sidewalks was empty itd been eight days
where was the old man somebody not as skinny would collapse it
he wanted to knock at the house door
old man let a room from his granddaughterwas
determined to pay his way I’m no
freeloader, I’ll be damned if I burden anybody.
When I’m
a burden Adios mis muy buenas amigas, bueno amigos . . not bad for an old white
fart.
No not bad at all
What you reading, professor?
Im not a professor
You keep professing you aint . . that makes you one.
Clever Though you don strike me clever
I’m not, I’m a trickster, a fox, I’m adaptable.
Until I’m not. Not a soul knows me better than I
know me, so a warning, out of the mouth of an old man, when I set my mind to something don’t stand in the way.
I don think well have a problem I walk by
We yap Im on my way
they yapped a couplethree
times a week throughout the winter into summer
Fack
he went up to the door and rapped
an attractive young woman answered
it
Excuse me Arya the lady of the house he
felt like a Fuller Brush salesmanJESUS
This is my house, yes. she woudnt know wha Fuller Brush was
Your grandfather sat at the edge
of the street he an Id talk briefly when I passed Is he okay
He’s gone.
his heart sunk in his chest cleared his throat
Im sorry my condolences
Ohno no, he’s moved.
Moved
Yes.
Why Where
Back east. most everywhere was east of California
My aunt asked him to come live with her.
Was their friction between youexcuse me Im rude My names Joe I live up the street
I’ve seen you walked past for
years, seen you talk with Pappy. I’m
Edith.
Hello Edith Thas an oldfashion name
Isn’t it? My greatgrandmother on
my grandfather’s side came west in a wagon. I got two daguerreotypes she posed
for in Chicago. She was a finelooking woman, I’m said to take after her, few redheads in our family. I go by my middle name, although my default when meeting
people is to my give my christened name.
If I may your middle name
Maneater . .
.
. interruptingclearing his
throat I like thareally
like tha Rightup my alley
It’s Sioux, my grandmother’s side of
the family.
So your Grandfather went adios as
he liked to say
He did. He told me youth was
wasted on the young.
He may have said tha to make himself
feel better
He called my husband and I . . asexual.
He said If I had a girl with
your looks I’d fuck her black and blue make her beg for me to stop, wouldn’t be able to take
it no more.
He is straightforwarddidnt parse
his words
No he didn’t. But to be frank his history backs him up, my
grandmother left him because he wouldn’t give her a moment’s peace.
Ol’ horndog.
I
think thas Pappy Horndog he chuckled
P H D
1320, Thursday,
29 6. 23
1911, Thursday
