Steam radiators.
The tea is ready,
all over the house.
I had a nightmare.
Paper bag crinkling,
A mouse was inside.
Refrigerator
burps against the wall.
Investigation.
Old toilets jangled
intermittently.
Apologetic
plumber made it stop.
On the house. For now.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Mice
Tessio was pacing as Wilhelm approached. He smiled at his brother, his best friend, and said, “Something smells delicious.”
Tessio was furious. “Delicious? Are you insane? Are you trying to tell me you do not smell the cat? How did you sleep all day?”
Wilhelm smiled and responded, “That was a lot of questions. I will begin by responding to the one about sleep. A healthy mouse needs ten hours of sleep every day, at least. This could by why you are so tense, dear brother. Perhaps you are not getting a full ten hours.”
Tessio sighed. “It’s over. We should have left a month ago. Karl said there is a box next to him across the street…”
Wilhelm cut him off, laughing aloud. “Karl. A box. You are joking. You are telling jokes. This is Manhattan and there are eight mice in a pathetic bar listening to jokes and it’s you telling them.”
Tessio began to weep. “I’m so hungry. I don’t want to die. I don’t want to live with Karl. I don’t want to move all my things again. I’m setup here. I like it here. I know you smell that cat.”
Wilhem replied seriously, “Brother, I smell food, for the first time in a month. I know you smell the peanut butter. Stay with me one more night. Work one more job with me, like when we were kids."
Wilhelm cried out, “Brother, I am nearly finished. Brother, do not lose hope.”
Tessio replied sternly, “Do not do it Wil. You will bleed out.”
“I will not bleed out. I will get help. I will find Karl. Or Mom and Dad.” Wilhelm was pushing with all his might, trying to tear his own leg from his body. His leg was already dead and stuck, pressed to the ground in a tray of glue. His dear brother Tessio lay across the room from him, in a similar tray, his entire body glued in a trap.
Tessio spoke quietly, “Mom and Dad have eighty seven babies. They forgot about us years ago. You were a good brother Wilhelm. We were a good team.”
Tessio was furious. “Delicious? Are you insane? Are you trying to tell me you do not smell the cat? How did you sleep all day?”
Wilhelm smiled and responded, “That was a lot of questions. I will begin by responding to the one about sleep. A healthy mouse needs ten hours of sleep every day, at least. This could by why you are so tense, dear brother. Perhaps you are not getting a full ten hours.”
Tessio sighed. “It’s over. We should have left a month ago. Karl said there is a box next to him across the street…”
Wilhelm cut him off, laughing aloud. “Karl. A box. You are joking. You are telling jokes. This is Manhattan and there are eight mice in a pathetic bar listening to jokes and it’s you telling them.”
Tessio began to weep. “I’m so hungry. I don’t want to die. I don’t want to live with Karl. I don’t want to move all my things again. I’m setup here. I like it here. I know you smell that cat.”
Wilhem replied seriously, “Brother, I smell food, for the first time in a month. I know you smell the peanut butter. Stay with me one more night. Work one more job with me, like when we were kids."
Wilhelm cried out, “Brother, I am nearly finished. Brother, do not lose hope.”
Tessio replied sternly, “Do not do it Wil. You will bleed out.”
“I will not bleed out. I will get help. I will find Karl. Or Mom and Dad.” Wilhelm was pushing with all his might, trying to tear his own leg from his body. His leg was already dead and stuck, pressed to the ground in a tray of glue. His dear brother Tessio lay across the room from him, in a similar tray, his entire body glued in a trap.
Tessio spoke quietly, “Mom and Dad have eighty seven babies. They forgot about us years ago. You were a good brother Wilhelm. We were a good team.”
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