MARJ

“life?
       Listen” the feline she with radishred
legs said(crossing them slowly)“I’m
asleep.   Yep.   Youse is asleep kid
and everybody is.”   And i hazarded
“god”(blushing slightly)—“O damn
ginks like dis Gawd” opening slowlyslowly
them—then carefully the rolypoly
voice squatting on a mountain of gum did
something like a whisper,“even her,”
“The Madam?” I emitted;vaguely watching
that mountainous worthy in the fragile act
of doing her eyebrows.—Marj’s laughter smacked
me:pummeling the curtains, drooped to a purr . . .

i left her permanently smiling