Untitled - CSUN ScholarWorks - California State University, Northridge

tongues all over his body that could zap out and cling to
her. He had to stifle shoulder spasms-turbulence was not
appreciated by his clients. So his tics of wanting had
learned to move down to his kneecaps, covered by jeans.
They jumped and twitched until something distracted him;
usually a cowlick that he would get lost examining. His
mind followed the strange curve of hair along its infinite
road inside the skull. His name was Sam.
And hers was Esther. She was thinking about
becoming an alcoholic.
Springtime-Sam laughed and swore on the inside. Lust
in the service industry, he thought. He slouched in an empty
chair and didn't smoke. Slow day. He wondered if he
should try talking to her. It's been almost six months. He had
entertained the thought for a while, but her eyes were so
solid; he might just bounce right off and away from her
stare. But I hear the jungle rhythms . ..
She was in the cafe trying to drink whiskey with orange
soda. The soda bubbles tickled her face and brought rare
thoughts to her attention. After three sips the waiter
stopped gawking, went back to the bar. Esther relaxed her
shoulders a bit. The tremble was still inside her though. She
pulled her arms closer to her chest, tried to anchor them,
feeling she might lose control. My muscles feel all giggly, she
decided. Like she had just done 20 pushups, but she hadn't.
Her lungs shivered as she took another sip and remembered
John, her last boyfriend. The man who left her to fulfill his
manifest destiny-or in other words, to be a roadie for the
Motley Criie reunion tour. Sure, that was four months ago,
but the tour was just now getting to her town. She'd seen
an ad in the paper.
Sam finished a small boy's haircut. The kid had a nice
neck, Sam admired-the back of it pink and round, tall and
smooth. Sam wanted to cup his hand around it and press
in. The tendons stretched up so cleanly. Sam's neck felt
angry and old. He thought maybe he should let his hair
grow longer to cover some of his neck, to warm and shield it.
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