Her voice is scratchy on the telephone. It always is. It is one of those things about living in a far different time zone, she always wants to call just as you wake up -- afternoon her time. So, you listen to her, as the fog dries up, as your summer in December heats the land and the first rays of the sun began to heat the parched earth. You are still at that primordial stage. Mumbling and grunting. You are good at grunting. Always have been. She likes you for that. Mostly because it is reciprocal. And then, with the crispness of an icicle you awaken.
“I just saw a copy of the cover of a magazine that I'm in, and it's very weird and unusual.” You catch the hitch in her voice. A heart tearing. Magazines weren't supposed to do that, even critics weren't supposed to do that even though they did.
“Why?” Your voice changes, becoming centered. An astral projection that finally syncs with your body.
“I'm on the cover of the Brangxi news.”
The aliens who circle your planet. Not surprising, she is a celebrity and tall. The Brangxi like tall woman. Of course, they did. They are a lot taller than us. “So, this must be good.”
“I don't think so. I'm on there, with my leg amputated and the Brangxi chewing on an image of my leg in its mouth.”
Maybe the government is wrong about their intentions. You are speechless. You don't know how to console her.
Her voice is scratchy on the telephone. It always is. It is one of those things about living in a far different time zone, she always wants to call just as you wake up -- afternoon her time. So, you listen to her, as the fog dries up, as your summer in December heats the land and the first rays of the sun began to heat the parched earth. You are still at that primordial stage. Mumbling and grunting. You are good at grunting. Always have been. She likes you for that. Mostly because it is reciprocal. And then, with the crispness of an icicle you awaken.
ReplyDelete“I just saw a copy of the cover of a magazine that I'm in, and it's very weird and unusual.” You catch the hitch in her voice. A heart tearing. Magazines weren't supposed to do that, even critics weren't supposed to do that even though they did.
“Why?” Your voice changes, becoming centered. An astral projection that finally syncs with your body.
“I'm on the cover of the Brangxi news.”
The aliens who circle your planet. Not surprising, she is a celebrity and tall. The Brangxi like tall woman. Of course, they did. They are a lot taller than us. “So, this must be good.”
“I don't think so. I'm on there, with my leg amputated and the Brangxi chewing on an image of my leg in its mouth.”
Maybe the government is wrong about their intentions. You are speechless. You don't know how to console her.
I love how you dropped us into this long distance conversation/relationship. Nice tension.
ReplyDelete