The Splatter Of A Pulse

He Is Silent As He Breathes Rapidly.

        

                             I Wonder If It Is Afib, Perhaps A 2/6 Systolic Murmur, Or Peanut Swallowed Wrong?

         

He Stands A-C-R-O-S-S The Room From Me With His Hands In His Pocket Like A Blinking Statue.

 

          I Fear If I Look Him In The Eyes I Will Impulsively Speak About My Neighbour's Feral Kittens And How One Has Pus Coming From Her Eye. I Refuse To Break This Silence.  I Will Not Be The Loser. 

 

 He Sits Down At His Computer And Starts Cleaning Out His Fingernails With A Knife.

      

          I Wish He Would Throw It Across The Room At Me Stabbing Me Directly In The Eye Piercing My Brain.

 

He Puts The Knife Down, Turns His Swivel Chair To Face Me, And Says -

 

                     I Think We Should Breakup

 

Panic Takes Over My Mind, No One Has Ever Dumped Me, Why The Hell Is He Dumping Me, He Cannot Dump Me.  I Finally Look Him In The Eyes And All I  Say Is -

 

Fine, I Think That Is A Great Idea.  Can You Bring Me Home Now?

 

    I Might Have A Heart Attack, Sweating Is Dripping Down My Ribs, Can This Car Ride Be Any Longer, I Will Not Speak, I Will Get Out Of The Car, Walk Calmly Up To My Apartment And Keep My Pride Intact.

                          We Enter My Driveway.  My Hands Start To Shake,

This Is Almost Over, This Is Almost Over.

 

He Gets Out Of His Car And Follows Me Into My Apartment, Walks Over To My Stuck Open Window, And Slams It Shut. 

                        I Run In My Room, Sit On My Bed, Put My Head In My Hands, And Beg Him To Leave.

He Leaves.