#sameriver

     “Hey Gary. Gary hey. Gary. Hey. Hey Gary.”      She leans across the table and taps the spot in front of him.      “Can I have half your sandwich.”

James Willard sent you a friend request.

     “Y’know what I always wondered is, how come y’all get to poke at my Facebook messages whenever you please just ’cause you’re in the mood to see who I’m tellin to stop sendin me Candy Crush requests, but I gotta get a warrant to read someone else’s postcard?”

     “ light this for me, ben, please? ”  she’s talking around the cigarette, so it comes out muffled.  she leans into his space a little, bringing with her a light waft of perfume.  “ mine is broken. ”

     “I have found a raccoon that I think Joker would like. Is he here.”

     “You’re very – starey.”

     “Is he gone.” Skittle is not supposed to be hanging out at Willard’s cubicle and Gary’s on the prowl. It’s not that she’s worried he’ll discipline her because he won’t, come on, it’s Gary, it’s just that she doesn’t want him to see this exclusive gathering and think it’s chill for him to join in. All this is to explain why she’s squished up under his desk, knees pulled to her chest and knocking at her chin. The fan from his CPU is blowing warm air in her face. She knocks Willard’s shin with her knuckle and asks again, “Is he gone.”

     “Why does he keep looking at you?” She means Gary. “Now he’s waving. Who is he?”