Week #5

across the street, in a 3rd floor apartment, a woman sketched them on a paper plate. opened the window. let it sail. backed into the dark.

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the plate fell to the street. theo went and picked it up. turned around. smiled. a car horn sounded. tires screeched. em covered her eyes...

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theo pelvic-thrusted to safety. the car brushed his jacket and sped on. he stood there like a less-than sign, wheeling his arms for balance.

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em uncovered her eyes. "please, get out of the road," she said. theo sat again, handing her the plate. she smiled and looked up at the sky.

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the sketch, in pencil, captured their embrace on the sidewalk, em crying, spig with his fingers laced through those of emily's good hand.

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they looked up at the windows across the street, trying to locate the artist, who basked in the dark and thought: i have three good friends.

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em sighed, teetering. "this is quite possibly the best and worst afternoon of my life" she told spig. "better even than when you died."

Week #4

walking to lunch, spig said, "i don't, you know." "i never said you did," theo said. "don't what?" spig laughed and said, "dye my hair."

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they sat in a corner booth. sunlight pearled on the twist of hair above spig's ear. theo pictured it falling, splashing on the table-top...

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"halves on a cheeseburger grinder?" theo asked. "too much work," said spig. "why don't we just get a pie and take some back to emily?"

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spig had 6 pieces; theo, 2. "i forgot to eat breakfast," spig said. "and breakfast, lunch and dinner yesterday. i'm terrible about that."

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"i'll be right back" spig said. he went down the hall toward the restroom. 5 minutes passed. 10. theo sucked his lips in as he paid the bill.

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spig met him on the corner. "i can't believe you did that" theo said." "em has my wallet. really. i forgot to grab it. really. seriously."

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em sat on the curb. eyes red, make-up smeared. bandage on her hand. she waved. winced. started to cry. they sat alongside and hugged her.