2011 Issue - Santa Fe Community College

Rose lowers the flame on the stove, settles the baby down, then returns
to the stove.
Buck gets up from his recliner and sits at the kitchen table and stares
at her while she scurries around the kitchen.
“That's a sexy outfit. It shows a lot of skin. Is that what you wore
to the market today Are you trying to impress somebody special, or are
you trying to give everyone a thrill”
She rolls her eyes and shakes her head.
“You're just like your sleazy momma. Lucky for you I came along to
marry you and support your kid.”
Timmy's body tenses as he listens to Buck's voice grow louder.
“Are you meeting somebody You're meeting somebody ain’t you
Who is he”
He gets up from the table and moves toward her.
“That's why you're dressing like that. Isn’t it I know it. Let me see
your phone.”
She grabs her phone off the counter and holds it away from him. He
reaches and takes her arm with a vise-grip hold.
“I said give me your phone. I swear I'll break your arm if you don't
give me your phone.”
He starts to twist her arm with both hands. She kicks his shin.
“Ouch you bitch. You’re going to pay for that. Bring it on.”
He balls his fists. His face is red. He hulks up and moves toward
her with a crazed look in his eyes.
“I said GIMME THE FUCKING PHONE.”
Timmy hurries past Buck to the stove mumbling something that
sounds like Latin, picks up the pan with the pork chops and throws the
hot grease and chops on Buck.
Buck staggers back and slumps against the wall. Smoke is rising from
his head. His ears grow into a point and fold forward. His mouth slowly
melts into a snout.
Rose stares at Buck in shock, then turns to her son. “Look! Timmy
what have you done He's turning into a pig. He has pig ears and a
snout. Put him back before someone sees him.”
Buck bats his pink pig eyelashes over bewildered pig eyes and grunts.
“Oink. Oink.”
Santa Fe Literary Review 91