in the wet place and catch the drips with my mouth. i like to pretend that when i was small i sat splashing in a big basin full of water and bubbles. a happy lady’s face goes with these thoughts, but it makes my belly ache to think about her, so i don’t, usually.
when he’s upstairs, i hear the man talk with the other upstairs voices, but he’s the only one who ever comes down with me. i do his work in the basement, and i’m good at it. the man taught me this work. he beats me when i do it wrong, so now i always do it right.
when 