Page 19 - Vol. VI #8

around Ren’s porch light When When he he he he he he left for for his own apartment at at night the house became a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a tomb leaving her gasping for for him like air When When Ren Ren Ren introduced eight-year-old Ava Ava Ava to
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Jacob Ava Ava Ava was polite but distant as as as if if he he he he he he he he he he were an an eccen- tric uncle that would would eventually go home if if she waited long enough Ren Ren had hoped Ava Ava Ava would would thaw over time “It’s “It’s not on on on the the the the the way way ” ” ” ” Jacob says “It’s “It’s two hundred miles out of the the the the the way way ” ” ” ” He points a a a a a a a a a a a a a a claw at at her “In fact it’s clear across the the the the the the state in in in in the the the the the the wrong direction ” ” “We haven’t seen them them in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a year ” ” ” ” ” “Then invite them them over Tell her her you want to
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start fresh ” When Jacob Jacob gets his his turn at at the the the the the crab he he he he he he he he he he scowls into the the the the the the pan and pokes the the the the the the leftovers with with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a pair of metal tongs then flags down a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a passing waitress who scurries to
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the the the the the the back for for more The people behind him fidget as as as as Jacob Jacob picks his his his his his teeth with with with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a toothpick holding up the the the the the the the the line as as as as he he he he he he he he he he he he he waits for for fresh legs legs Age hasn’t diminished his his his appetite any “You know she she she won’t won’t She already told us us she she she won’t won’t Her and her her boundaries ” ” ” Wet crab cartilage sticks to
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the the the tabletop “The “The baby will forget who I am ” ” Jacob Jacob crushes a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a claw with with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a silver nutcracker sending a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fine spray into the the the the the air hitting Ren’s cheek She frowns and and scrubs at at it it it it with with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a napkin He He returns with with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a heaping dish of crab slides back into into the the the the the the booth and and and and tucks his his his his his napkin into into his his his his his collar Ren watches him rip the the the the the the legs legs from from their their joints and and and and and crack open their exoskeletons Jacob Jacob says “Why don’t you you take the the the the train up and and surprise her? What is is is she she going to
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do do turn her her her sixty-eight-year-old mother out out onto the the the the street?”
He He He slips the the the the the the the white white flesh from from its casing and and and and and holds it it it it it up between his his his his thumb and and and and and and forefinger “Look at at at that—a perfect whole piece It pays to
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wait for for the the the the the the fresh stuff ” ” ” He He smiles a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a white white strand caught in in in in in his his teeth “They get get old old quick then stick inside their shell and and and and are impossible to
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get get out Not worth the the the the trouble ” ” “But what about you?”
Jacob opens a a a a a a a a a a a a a foil packet and unfolds a a a a a a a a a a a a a moist towelette He pulls pulls his his fingers through through it smells them them then pulls pulls them them through through again “Do you think Ava will call?” she she asks “I don’t know why she’s being like like this You were like like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a father to
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her her The The only one she she ever knew anyway These innuendos about innocent things that happened twenty years ago—they’re sick ” Jacob swirls a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fat chunk of of crab meat into into a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a ramekin of of melted butter then pops it into into his his his mouth Butter runs down his his his chin and and drips onto his his his napkin “You sure you you don’t want to
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try some? These normally cost twenty dollars a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a pound ” ” Ren crosses her her her her arms She She She doesn’t like like the the way he he he he he he he he he he he he he he says troubled troubled adolescent adolescent like like he’s quoting a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a statistic from a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a newspaper She She shakes her her her her her her head head “No it’s that lousy counselor and his hypnosis psycho-babble filling her her her her her her head with ideas ” ” She She shakes her her head She She hates their fishy smell “Don’t you you you have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fishing trip coming up up in in in in in New England? I could could surprise her her You You could could drop me me me me off and and pick me up up on on your way back ” He nods in in in in in agreement “Right Instead of making her her her her her take responsibility for her her her her her failures he he he he he he he he convinces her her her her we are to
blame ” (continued on on next page) 10
He shrugs snaps another leg in in in two and and and sucks out out the the the insides “I “I doubt it after that last conversation ” Jacob pulls his his his his napkin out out out of of his his his his collar and wipes his his his mouth “Well you can’t trust the the the the memories
of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a troubled adolescent She She did so many drugs as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a teenager it’s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a wonder she remembers her her her own name ” “I “I miss my grandbaby ” ” Ren says