November 20, 2008
solitary bees, the rest of it
Jeremy. Je – re – my. Jeremy.
What?
I didn’t say anything.
Time passes.
You awake?
What?
You awake?
I wasn’t.
Okay.
He waits.
What did you want?
Nothing.
All right.
Jeremy?
Yes?
Never mind.
*
Cards. We could play cards.
Which one?
It doesn’t matter.
Texas hold ‘em. Go fish.
Mexican sweat.
*
Jeremy.
What?
Just checking.
*
How did you end up here?
She looks at him.
I think you had first hand experience with that.
No. I meant here. This part of the country.
Well, I was out for a night with my friends and ended up sitting in front of a fortune teller. She looked at my palm and looked at my face and said you will find a man but it will require travel…. I went home that night and took out a map. I closed my eyes and put my finger on it. I ended up here.
No way. Is that story for real?
Parts of it.
Which parts of it?
The parts I’m willing to tell.
*
I had a dream there was an extra room.
Where?
Here. In this house. Somewhere. You could access it through a hole in the fireplace or by going outside to an extra door. It was nice.
I like that.
My grandfather fixed some plumbing in the house we had. I remember he took off the paneling beyond the bathtub, next to the toilet. There was a whole new space back there. I think he had a light or an extension cord back there. Just a bare bulb I think. I’m not sure if I was more impressed that he knew how to fix the plumbing or that he found that extra space. I almost think I was scared to go back in there not out of fear but out of reverence. That doesn’t make any sense. I liked standing back looking at it though. It made a big impression on me.
*
Siblings?
Sisters. Essentially.
I’m not sure what that means.
One brother, still birth or premature, whatever you want to call it, however you want to describe it.
Did you see him?
It? Yes.
*
How many women have you been with?
A handful?
Don’t tell me that. Every man knows the exact number.
I suppose a woman would be less certain.
Perhaps socially but never in her mind.
So how many have you been with?
Men or women?
You decide.
A handful.
Wow. We have so much in common.
You’ve been with men?
No.
Then we’re not so much alike.
This gets confusing after a while.
*
I want you to take me to dinner.
Where?
Anywhere. Someplace nice.
Mexican? Down home?
Anything. You decide.
*
He walks in to check on her. She is asleep, bare breasted, her arms beside her above the blanket.
He goes to take a piss. When he gets back, she is in the same position, asleep, a shirt on her now.
*
Deviate. Deviant.
*
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.
What?
That’s the mother of one of the women I work with. She thinks I’m on vacation.
He looks over his shoulder. She brings her napkin to her mouth, looks out the window past him.
You think she’ll recognize you?
Of course she’ll recognize me.
What do you want to do?
I guess I’ll go to the bathroom.
*
The woman comes in and orders. She sits down at a table, waiting. Karen is still in the restroom. The woman’s food is delivered. She unwraps and starts to eat.
*
Jeremy slowly works at his fries. Next table a mother and daughter are talking.
You think it’s a sin?
Of course its a sin. It says so very clearly.
I’d like to read that.
Take my word for it. It says it. You don’t believe me?
No. I believe you. I’d like to see it for myself.
Seeing it yourself won’t make it any different. It’s in there. I can take it out and show it to you.
I thought she was a righteous person.
Righteousness has its limits.
The woman gets up and asks for ketchup. Grabs more napkins.
He went up there to see her, to offer his support and she turned him away. Practically spit in his face.
She spit in his face? Really?
Not literally, but close enough. Such deliberate callousness. A person goes out of his way and you ignore him? What’s that all about? And in addition to the profanity. Thank God the court took them away from her. She should be sterilized before she can contemplate the next one.
The woman gets up and throws away the items on her tray. She takes a final sip from the straw and discards it. Jeremy walks through to where the bathrooms are, knocks on the women’s door.
Coast is clear.
He hears the toilet flush.
*
On the way home they drive quietly. She is clearly shaken. She puts her hand on the arm rest.
I want some different clothes.
She looks at him.
I’m tired of wearing this dress.
I washed it for you.
He turns off the radio.
That’s not what I said.
I have some of my mother’s clothes in the house. You can look at those when we get back.
She crosses her arms, looks straight ahead.
You can put that thought back in the oven.
*
She looks through a pile of dresses on the bed. Holds one up, looks at him. This one’s actually really pretty.
She never wore that one.
She turns to look at herself in the mirror.
How would you know. You were away for all those years.
There’s still a tag on it. On the inside of the dress.
He pulls it out for her, bites at the plastic until it breaks.
Thanks.
She holds it back up to her.
Okay. I guess I’ll have to try this on.
She looks at him.
Do you mind?
Oh.
He turns around.
No. Do you mind if I try it on?
Not at all.
She proceeds to.
*
I need to return this.
He is holding a VHS tape. She is behind the counter.
Drop box is over there.
I’d rather give it to someone.
She takes it from him.
All right. What else?
Well, when I come in here, I always just go to the same section. I’d like to broaden my horizons. Mix things up a little bit.
Huh.
She lifts the video he has returned and taps it against her lip.
Let’s see what we can do.
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