Issue 3 Star- Gazette

He also knew she was itching for something faster, he could tell that by the time they
reached the B side she was searching for melodies that weren’t even there, she wanted
something which she could move her hips and twist to. She loved that kind of music,
the kind of music in which she was so close to him he could feel her heart on top of
him, then within the second it took for him to send her in a twirl she was on the other
end of the room, a distance which seemed like a galaxy away in this game they’d play.
He knew dawn would come in the blink of an eye, that the stars were fading, and soon
she would leave with them like the breeze of the summer night. The past nights he’d
given in to her eagerness, played the fast-paced music in which her body was always
close, then far, close, then far. Not tonight. Tonight he would hold her close until the
very last beat of the final song. Hold her until the beats of their hearts were
synchronized. Maybe he’d kiss her. Maybe he’d leave her lipstick stain on all of the
following day, just to remind himself she truly was real. That he hadn’t dreamt last night
and the dozens before. No, tonight he wouldn’t let her go. Wouldn’t let her walk out the
door leaving behind nothing but a bobby pin or a strand of hair on his arm. Tonight
he’d hold her long enough she’d never go.
Sturgeon Bay, WI. June 20. 10:07 AM.
RRRRRNNNGGGG! RRRRNNNNGGG!
“Shit!” Jack murmured, barely awake, sifting his hand over the coffee table and trying to
find his phone. He looked at the caller ID, it was Mar, one of his best friends.
“Jeez, I thought you’d never answer. Anyways, I’m outside.”
“Outside?” he said puzzled, then looked at the time. Farmers market! They were
supposed to catch up today and go. He’d only passed out on the couch only a few hours
ago and was still in a dress suit.
“You’re still in bed huh?”
“Yea… I went to bed kinda late last night. But hey it’s fine! I’ll unlock the door and give me
like half an hour to get ready and we can go, we’ll even take my car.”
“Fine. But you’re making me a cup of coffee.”
“Deal.”
He heard her car beep and for once was thankful it took three steep flights of stairs to
reach his apartment as he scrambled around trying to ensure everything was in place. To
his dismay it was. How could that be? How could you spend an entire night dancing with
a woman and the next morning find the room looking like it’d never been touched? He
knew he hadn’t picked up before she left. He knew she had to be real. His lack of sleep
was all the proof of it. Or maybe he was losing it, maybe he’d hallucinated it all and really
did need to seek help. He tried to imagine explaining his situation to a therapist and
shook his head at the idea the second the words left his mouth. No one would
understand him, they’d think he was having some sort of psychotic break, and they
wouldn’t be wrong to think so.