Klempner

“Here…” Juliana places something in the ground… a flat something… “I'm not giving you a cushion, but you can have that.”

On the end of her shoe, she toes it toward me and across the white line. A fragment of paint breaks from the edge of the line.

Stiff-jointed, I stand. It’s not easy. Every movement scrapes flesh and bone against the concrete and I resist the urge to simply roll forward and crawl towards whatever-it-is.

So, I stand: unravelling myself: piece by piece, joint-by-joint, unfolding my body until I’m upright. Then I take the three or four steps to what has become the edge of my world.

Stooping with exaggerated care for my stiff spine, I examine her flat-packed offering. “A cardboard box?”

“It'll get your ass off the concrete.”

“In this damp, It won't last long.”

She shrugs. “Then, I might give you another. If you behave yourself.”

“You mean if I grovel and entertain you.”

She gives me a hyena grin. “That’s the spirit.”

*****

“Can I ask you something?”

Her eyes narrow. “You can ask.”

“How did you come to be in my hands in the first place? Most of the kids were shipped in from the third world or Eastern Europe. How did you come to be in Blessingmoors?”

Her jaw drops. “You don't know?”

the show. I didn't make personal collections. I had people on

know why

up your life, but if you imagine it was

speaks slowly… Reluctantly…

me

My father was never there. And when he was, he was usually drunk. If he came home, we'd all hide or

“We?”

slit further. “Are you

interested. I’d like to hear

looks away. “It’s

me. I’ll

screws up, unbelieving.

fake a smile, wink at her.“ I’ll show you

a special treat. She made me wear my best dress. My older sister's actually. And she took me to meet a man. He gave her money…” She gulps, looking away… “She said I was to go with him. She said he'd take me to my new home.

Christ…

My belly tightens…

I do understand how

to

when I was small. But,

dull. “Who

“My father.”

widen. “And what happened

end, I killed

laugh is

What goes around

sits back in her chair’ eyes me. “And so here

you say.

Time to move on…

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