Page 73 - WTPVol.VII#9

frame He says a a a a a friend friend of of a a a a a friend friend has
lent it it to him but you suspect it’s his crib Flunked out of of Penn State and and now apparently out of of life he’s brought along a a a a a a a a fifth of Captain Morgan and a a a a a a a a six-pack From the the mattress on the the floor he he he grins up at at you “Show me Sally ”
You’re still wearing your shirt and jeans “You first ”
Ben whips off his own shirt and and jeans then every- thing—stoned and drunk he he he still can manage that that with grace “There ”
”
he he says “now give me that damn surprise ”
You saunter back and forth at at the the foot of the the mat- tress “Sure you’re ready?” But Ben’s obviously ready—ever since you you took up with him Ben has
never not been ready ready You unbutton your shirt turn from him slip it off then turn back “Well?”
“Hot damn Sally ”
You’re wearing a a a new camisole from your shop Five years now you’ve kept it going gradually expanding from lotions and soaps to a a a whole line of of lingerie Your camisoles are so so popular you keep a a a a a team of lo- cal women sewing them Not gaudy mall-shop stock everything in in Milk Shed Sally’s is is exquisitely sugges- tive You You look down at Ben “You really like it?”
He takes a a a a a drink and pats the mattress “Come here let me see I need a closer look ”
“There’s more ”
“I’ll bet there is ”
Quick as
a a a a snake he’s off off the the mat- tress and and at you you whipping off your jeans touching you you you through the the the the lacey panties Then they and and the the the the camisole are on the floor and Ben Harding has
has
you you has
you you you where he’s always taken you you you to a a a a a a place tit- tering on on the brink of oblivion Afterwards when he’s asleep you are cold—the A A frame has
only one miserable blanket You slip into into your camisole and and panties go into the the the bathroom and and wash your your your face face In the the mirror you you you you see your your your mother’s face searching back at you you After Ben flunked out of Penn State he he “tried” the Navy but something went wrong there too And now he’s been hanging around York for over a a a a year just staying in in a a job long enough to collect Unemployment once he’s fired You know know have known for some time that he’s he’s too lost to to make you happy but he’s he’s the only one who can take you you back to sixteen You throw on on your shirt and jeans wrap Ben’s jacket around you you you and and take Captain Morgan out onto the the deck A A full moon and and stars And somewhere in the the night a a a a sepa- rated calf and cow bellow for each other ~
I I won’t lie Sarah hurts like hell I I been milkin’ cows since I I was nine-years-old and and damn if I I don’t get kicked at at seventy Evan and that girl he he he says he’s gonna’ marry took me me to to the the emergency Sally was off messin’ with them fru-fru things she sells in in in that that little shack by the road so it it had to be Evan and and that girl of his to take me Three ribs cracked all all bandaged up before Sally got there Know what what she calls that that that little shop of hers? Milk Shed Sally’s that’s what what Now don’t that that beat all? A A perversion perversion what it it is A perversion perversion of the true mean- ing It’s almost like she’s thrown it it in in in in in my face takin one meanin’ and twistin’ it around to serve herself Those fru-fru gewgaws she she sells have about as
much to to do do with with a a a a a real milkshed as
as
a a a a a cow pie has
to to do do with with a whip-crème dessert I tell you one thing thing Sarah things keep up like they’re goin’ there won’t be any true milkshed left in in this part of Pennsylvania Cracked ribs or not that’s why I had Evan drive me to to to the the auction today Hurt like hell to to to climb the steps but I had to see what Otts Mueller is is gettin’ for his herd Little by little he’s been sellin’ it it it off He don’t say so but I I know he is I I suspect Dot’s put him up to to to it wants to to to move down to to to Florida or or wherever their Tommy lives I I never told you Sarah but I I used to to watch Sally waitin’ for the the school bus with Tommy and think You You two two You You two two if only you’d look at each other and see what I do See how fine it could be our farm farm the the Muellers’ combined Together those farms wouldn’t be enough to support a whole milkshed But almost Almost Like most most most of my dreams a a a fool’s imagining If your passin’ has
taught me anything Sarah it’s not to dream No matter how hard you you work nothin’ll come out like you counted Freaks that’s what farmers are nowadays City people buyin’ up up these these houses poppin’ up up everywhere like April dandelions Like all all these farms and and all all that goes along with them is a a a show for their amusement Take that couple comin’ down the the the the steps across the the the the pen Her in in them fancy boots with the the flowers and and him helpin’ her down—she’s pregnant and can’t see the the the the steps Bet they they came to the the the the auction ‘cause they they don’t have anything better to do do on on a a a a a Saturday morn-
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