Distress

"He must be upset."

Their silence is the beginning of a quarrel; their faces evade me as I distress.

"He must be so handsome...."

Rapiers joust tongues; as we know fighting injures us.

"He must be divine...."

Turning to the side their profiles acknowledge emptiness for my emotions.

"He must despise me...."

Perishable needles sling back and forth; as tears roll upon their shields rust will form.

"He must be married...."

Pausing for an ice break they logically settle; I am not fond of divorce.

"She must be mad for him...."

Splitting the duet of compassion is forms a bruise; purple, crimson, indigo blue vessels harvest miserable sadness to accompany happiness; make up covers not a single sword smite.

"She must give herself to him, she mustn't run from him, she mustn't stray....."

"Should she be subservient?"

Who asks this question? I feel my eyes are deceived.

"You are handsome....."

Finality fades into the radio boasting commercials for pills which will make men larger; I wonder what a man desires enough to swallow a pill, this world is big enough to swallow.

Sunglasses look at me, his hands upon my chest; some reason I care not to divulge thus does not concern me. He feels tender underneath my clothing. I desire raw tuna steak; I might of spoken out loud, damn.

The vehicle is white rough transportation.

"This must be an American invention; I am sure it will break."

Export espresso beans flavor thick liquor, taste of sentimentality upon my lips; I might of been kissed if torment did not imply a tease. This hurts more than unbearable sweetness. Plastic stammer gutting sheet metal clamps a hose flipping coughs; the thing stops inside gravel near a parked eighteen wheeler. The sudden romp leans his lips closer; the tease is too much and travel is sober. I am the lock pinkish red passionate encounters.

"Victoria...."

One hell of a whisper; I contemplate another existence.

"The car just broke down!"

"Really...."

Shade glass aluminum tips into my shirt; I misplaced my bra.

Light bulbs shutter the city; I am walking about searching for my twin.

"What do they call this one again?"

"The sign said something about wind."

"If it tangles your hair I will be dismay."

"If it tangles yours I will be distress."

We hood each other. Harsh buildings suction the sidewalk; we trade shoes.

Furthermore I am not a mechanic.

"The radiator overheated; not sure what will get it to move again since I am unfamiliar with the make or model."

"I feel the same way....."

I miss his hands; I am faint. Desiring not to be prey I press my palm to fingers against the glass awakening a large man.

"What are you doing to her! You motherfuckers better have a good explanation!"

"She had a little too much to drink that's all."

"Sir I do not drink."

Unfortunately he is subject to tears; he is unconscious with my handkerchief.

"Do you know how to drive this?"

"I can manage....."

Someone is carrying me; they were polite enough to adjust my clothing.

"You must be strong...."

"No you are lighter than I thought."

Lighter than I thought as well.

"You are a woman? A woman is carrying me?"

"Why does that surprise you?"

After hearing the word "motherfucker" tossed about the rest stop I am out of handkerchiefs.

She is gentle except for the drop; I creep into a corner. A dog licks my nose, I giggle, my contortion cramps an angle while the woman watches.

"You are very flexible."

I stop, she disgusts me; I sneeze a dry squeak. She locks me away.

"Fuck it.......let's eat."

"I will treat you to vanilla soy cream over cocoa tofu."

"I will treat you to a juicy fresh off the coast tuna steak."

I flip his glorious protein rich strands, my guilty pleasure; I adore him more than a moment, I adore him more than tuna.

My mouth stops watering. The cascade of temptation enters; he is wearing a grey collared shirt with an embroidered name.

"Arnold you buttoned up much too quickly. May I fix it for you?"

Inside his hands I see a rope.

"Victoria....."

An age long since forgotten.

I wear his sunglasses, the morning sun is brighter than fire, somehow not as romantic, somehow displeasing me.

"Please shut the cabin."

The rope lays between my hips; I hear a yelp through the window.

"The dog just bit me!"

I laugh an involuntary gratifying gesture. She is visibly angry; I might laugh some more. Her arms spread to show wounds deep enough for stitches; I feel compassion. She is distracted by her accomplice; I noose her with twine fallen from the divine.

"Hush.....tell the handsome man to come closer."

"What are you going to do?"

"You care for him?"

She might of said something but something is not good enough. The situation is obvious; his fly is open.

"Your zipper is undone....."

He stares into an open mouth; I toss the woman onto a pile of bedding. She is not light to carry; the throw weighs more than my muscles.

"How in bloody fucking hell do you drive this thing?"

A man without pants is the passenger. I caress his cheeks; his hair is the sensation from a bath of champagne yet he is a stone. I destroy myself inward to flesh.

I am sitting inside the house which makes me wonder what happened to his trousers.