Married

by Richard Stevenson
To one Joan Hale, forty-year-old red head.Not the sharpest tool in the shed, perhaps,but loyal and better than you ever deserved.You beat and verbally abused her,but could be attentive, even adeptbetween the sheets, to hear her tell the tale.Became a born-again Christian,attended church regularly to createthe Mr. Suburban Clean Machine personayou so desperately needed to helpkeep the feds and local heatat bay, and she trusted you, boughtthe endless shovels full you spreadabout the need for car rentals in yournew construction trade. You’d turn the cornerany day, make the business a success,for hadn’t you always come up with cashwhen you really needed it? you said.Joan became the business secretary,had a good head for figures, could alwaysconvince the customers drunken hubby wouldpay the bills. Even got pregnant,moved you into a low-rent apartmentwhere the welfare moms made life pleasantand you would find it suitable foryour own purposes, could feel a cut above and find lots of kids easy to impress.Just like a kid’s piggy bank, eh Cliffy –all you have to do is smash it with a hammerto get a little pocket change and get your end wet.

(from Evergreenreview)