Chapter IV: Marj

“life?
Listen” the feline she with radishred
legs said (crossing them slowly)“I’m
asleep. Yep. Youse is asleep kid
and everybody is.” And i hazarded
“god” (blushing slightly)--“O damn
ginks like dis Gawd” opening slowlyslowly
them--then carefully the rolypoly
voice squatting on a mountain of gum did
something like a whisper, “even her.”
“The Madam?” I emitted; vaguely watching
that mountainous worthy in the fragile act
of doing her eyebrows.--Marj’s laughter smacked
me: pummeling the curtains, drooped to a purr . . .

i left her permanently smiling