-- Its just another one of those days
her heels spiking the concrete
veranda suggested otherwise
for such a little thing she was
killing it
she walked on behind him
balancing a sweet roll on top her capped coffee cup and thumbing her cell
with her other hand
her heel sparks echoed off the
coarse brushed cement and between the brickworked storefront walls support
columns and cleaned plateglass
devoid
of green plants they commiserated
with the other artificial scabs cobbled
roadways and parking lots sidewalks and vacated Business Closed stores side by side by side
by side
some untended puny yellowing
trees stuck up out of bays formed by concrete curbs
which made him laugh sickly
-- Jailers
as the surrounding businesses referred to the trees as elements of an
inclusive greenway
saying so doesnt make it so
anymore than indulging a
whorehouse because inside it one was told there was truly a virgin to be had
-- Greenway
my ass
a few of the nearby trees nodded to
him in the wind
he nodded back
taking in the imprinted scabs
the black tops the worked flood
of concrete and useless building spaces
they always picked him up
violently by his ears
and he followed them
a slight disabled junior high
teacher convinced him it was a workable technique
hed seen other kids launch
themselves to their feet and then hobble behind him bent over raptly following
their tortured ears
the only time he and the teacher
crossed paths was when he happened to be nearest the open classroom door
the teacher entering the
classroom it wasnt his felt he needed to quell the noise and vigor
and grabbed him abruptly from behind
his
wellknown antic startled the class
usually when grabbed the student
squealed loudly
he didnt
he did rise to follow his ear
but before the crouching and
dragging began
he slammed his hard rubber heel
into the calf of the teachers trailing leg
he supposed as the teachers howl
went off(that was different) they were both at fault
he retaliated against the uninformed choice
delivering the kick the teachers
pinch flinched went slack and he stood upright
immediately
taking his ears out of harms way
-- Ill see you in Sweats office
he remarked down into the teachers pained and red glaring face
Mr Duckett was too overcome to
reply
Sweat was the junior high principal
he was the epitome of a principal
he knew every kid on sight and by name
you cant kid a kidder
and with Sweat you didnt even dare try
hed hand you your head even as
your mouth was still working
Mr Sweat worked off Honesty and
Respect
he lived on them as a two-way
street
Sweat heard what transpired before
he arrived
-- And you say
Mr Sweat asked
he said exactly what happened
between the students who disrupted the class
Yes Unfortunately that sounds like them
They disappoint me
You disappointed me
-- Mr Sweat
I apologise to you for
disappointing you
Ive got nothing for Mr Duckett
Dont grab a snake by its tail
It dont like it
Dont like it particularly
when its relaxed sunning itself
not in the midst of things
-- What would you have me do
If the ball were in your court
-- Its not
But since youre asking the harms have equaled themselves out
Actually equal
thats probably not true
but
his pants will cover his black and blue
I cant cover my ear
-- Let me take a look at that
Goodness
-- He never cuts that thumbnail not ever You dont want him to grabbing you by
the ear
* * *
It was just one of those days
one of the little things heels
skittered
then immediately over his shoulder he heard her paper cup of coffee slap on the
concrete
contents splash
her
cell clatter
turning he caught the donut rolling lazily
she stood utterly rigid
her knees broke first
she crouched femininely in her short skirt
trembling
and while he expected her to
collapse to her hands and knees and wail slap the concrete over and over again
or perhaps rise and barehanded slaughter any human being who
witnessed her abject discontent
she did not
she gathered up her cell
turned it side to side then over
inspection complete
she
rose straightened her skirt and continued walking to wherever she was
going
her heels falling less sharp
the coffee cup emptied
turned and open mouthed watched
her go
he could almost hear What about me
he knew the answer the inanimate
cup would never guess
One of those days
1523, Twosday,
30 6. 15
0009, Thursday, 2 7.
15
