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Anna disappears. Lose her at a party. She vanishes. Forget. Panic. Run through the worst case ones in my head. See Anna dead in an alley somewhere.  Grow angry. Annoyed. Mad. Alternate the layers. Mad that I worry. Mad at the possible. The impossible, consider it too. Gone forever. Until she eventually comes back. Can't concentrate on the combo with Kathy. Christian. Drift. Be cold. See her go with some other dude. Jack I think. To the deli. The ATM. Forget this. That I stayed behind. Distant the rest I the night. End in fight. Real blow out in her apartment. She asks me to leave.

     Fear. Feel it.

     We've touched on something real here.

     Trudge home. Get drunk. Hook up with the field hokey girl who would be real cute if only......

     Out side the building in the front near the street. Chain smoke. It's raining. A drizzle really.

     McCormick appears. Has he been watching me?

     He asks if I've made up my mind.

     If I have an answer.

     If I'll help him

     Help my father.

     “I'm not even sure you're real right now,” I tell him.

     He takes a drag off his cigarette. Smiles.

     “That's a good thing.”   He says, “Always question.”

     “How do you figure?”

     “Crazy people don't think their crazy.”

     Remember.

     Tell him, “Sure. Yes. I'll help.”

     “Of course you will. We have been working and I have a lead that looks promising.”

     “What do I do?”

     “Well be in touch. Tomorrow.  The next day.  Soon”

     “When?”

     “Soon.”  He repeats.

     I want to know, “But what do I do?”

     “We wait.” 

     He leaves.                        

     Drink some more.

     As I pass out on some floor, later, I hope it's mine.