(Very) Short Story: – “Where He Was”
Fake, fakery, everything’s phony; I sound like a Bible, I do. Yeah, still young, but I’ve lived long enough to smell the smoke and spot the mirrors. Yeah, me, a phony too. Even after all I’ve given, all I’ve been given, all I seem to be, all they think I am, all the hands stretching out, all the love. Smile, wave, turn, smile. Things aren’t what they seem. They’re the opposite, at least sometimes, at least me… Hero, leader, specimen of manhood and health and confidence. Ha. Wave, smile, turn, wave. If they only knew, if they could only see me at three in the morning writhing in pain, crying like a baby for his mother and a breast but me, for the doc and a shot. Mother… mother. And what about my own kids’ mother… What she knows, my quiet, beautiful wife, she knows. What she doesn’t, she doesn’t have to. Geez, she’s lovely… just like the flowers she’s holding… Even after ten years of marriage… Of course she knows. She just accepts things… the life is just worth it to her, even with me… but she deserves better. She’s suffered enough, with father, with Rose. And the baby, years ago. And the baby now. She doesn’t need more pain dumped on her pile. Let her take some pride in her life, her children. In me, even, even if it’s misplaced… A sham, I am. Even my words aren’t mine. They’re mostly Chaiken’s – ha, Teddy hates it when I call him that. He’s great, though, a brainy tongue. My brainy tongue. It’s him talking, though. I’m just the mannequin moving my mouth, smiling. But a mannequin who screams his own screams at night, who has a “condition.” Ha. Funny word. Turn, wave, smile. Condition’s what you do to the air when it’s hot in a room. Yeah. Smile, wave. Man, it’s hot here today. Doesn’t fall ever come to Texas? Sweat doesn’t look good, even on a good looking mannequin. Hope the smile draws their eyes to my teeth, not my forehead. Wave, turn, smile, turn, wave. Dangerous and uncertain world, yeah, but friendly crowd. Guess the sign’s right. Dallas loves me. Ha. It just doesn’t kno—