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Renting Paul Leighland MacLaine
renting
a short story from the collection:
the tales of socrates dancing
by
paul leighland maclaine
That was it, I guess.
She finally had enough and left again.
I heard the door click to about six. I wanted to stop her from going, but somehow, right then, it seemed harder to go and stop her. Our gut-shot hostage of a relationship had been laid out to die on the cabin floor between us. We didn�t know whether to dump it onto the freeway tarmac and surrender, or prop it up and fight on.
I didn�t have work. Not for a long time. Not since we�d moved. My days were long and filled like a lunch order at a greasy diner � always at someone else�s leisure.
I got out of bed, opened a blind, and closed it again.
Maybe I�d sleep the whole day out. I walked to the kitchen, mindful of the broken-backed china that lay on the linoleum, and made a coffee. The milk had changed to yogurt, and was now little better than a chilled science project taking up unneeded space in the rented refrigerator.
I stared at the milky yogurt as it disappeared down the sink. At least something had the opportunity to grow in this house. I opened a beer, and halved its volume.
The lounge was a mess. Two cats stared at me from on top of the �couch that ate cushions�.
She won�t have gone far without them. I knelt on the floor, and pulled the coffee table over close so as to make it a desk. I felt important behind a desk. I cleared the cans from the top, picked up the TV remote, and jabbed it toward the screen.
Nothing was on.
The axe, its handle protruding from the screen, had seen to that. I tried a few more channels � still nothing worth watching. Probably for the best, I disliked the shows they had on at this time of day. I might just sit and wait for her to come home. I might suggest we move north for a while. I�d heard about some work there.
We were free to move whenever we wanted, we were on a monthly lease. I knew where she�d gone. Perhaps I�d try to see her tomorrow.
Straighten things out.
Apologize.
Everything will be better tomorrow.
We rent them you know.
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