13333 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida by Stephen Paternite
Times Of Not Thinking About Problems
Geor said he had a time, only a brief
three minutes, when he did not have bills
on his mind. It was in the sixties he said.
He had just met his current wife. That
was fifty years ago, it was an August day
before it rained on his birthday.
Laur was saying something about
having a child. She told Geor she felt
she was ready. She also told him it would
take a lot of sex to do it. She had not
been on birth control the five months they
had been together. Geor smiled.
He remembers it as the best smile he
had ever had. Today, Laur was saying
something in the kitchen. Geor went
out there to listen to her. She was dusting.
“I think I am ready to travel to Hawaii.
I think Bethi’s kid is old enough for us
to leave. Mike’s boy has been okay for
two years. I can always pray for them.”
Laur told Geor she liked feeling warm
under a constantly warm sun. She said
she liked taking long hot showers using
other’s water. She kissed Geor’s tears.
~ Daniel Gallik