IF YOU CANNOT DO IT BIG, DO NOT DO IT AT ALL
by Queenie
Chapter One
After Midnight Monday
He sits in his living room with his lights off. He has not slept well lately. He hears traffic outside and his blinds are open. Between headlights and the TV on mute, there is enough light for him to see her phone number on the empty, open cigarette package on his coffee table.
But he had looked it up over a week ago. He really did not have the nerve to call her. Hadn't seen her in years.
But she was all he thought about lately.
He leaned on the arm of his green couch, rubbing his chin, his feet up, staring at his socks.
He did not know how to get rid of the thought of her.
Chapter Two
After Midnight Monday Memories
He remembers the day they went fishing, her refusal to put a worm on a hook. Until she blamed him for her not catching any fish. He watched the disgusted look on her face when she baited one of the little suckers and the I-told-you-so-grin she gave him when she finally caught a fish.
One to small to keep. Or at least, so she said. About all the fish they caught that day.
He remembers the steel grey colour of the lake, turning blue where the sun hit it.
He remembers when she was sick with a cold and he showed up on her doorstep with cough drops, Kleenex and 14 different movies.
She was in her pink nightgown with all the cowheads on it. It made her nose look even redder. She laid with her head in his lap, demanding drinks of orange juice and picking the movies. She was bossy and whiney.
But she smiled a lot.
And he knew enough to bring only movies he liked.
He remembers he got comfortable with her real quick.
He did some stupid things.
She demanded better.
But he was lazy. Then he met Chelsea.
Chapter Three
After Midnight Tuesday
The moon was a large one.
He felt foolish, but he did not know how else to get her out of him. Or if this would even work.
He thought about turning around and driving home, but he had come this far. It had been a four hour drive to her hometown.
A place she visited only occasionally.
He stepped out of his car, grasping the yellow plastic bag from the hardware store.
The air was damp and cool as he climbed.
When he got to the top, he pulled one of the cans of spray paint out of the bag and shook it up.
Chapter Four
Dawn Break
There in dark black; the next day everyone knew. But no one knew who.
Across the water tower, someone had sprayed:
I LOVE SARAH McDONALD
by Queenie
Chapter One
After Midnight Monday
He sits in his living room with his lights off. He has not slept well lately. He hears traffic outside and his blinds are open. Between headlights and the TV on mute, there is enough light for him to see her phone number on the empty, open cigarette package on his coffee table.
But he had looked it up over a week ago. He really did not have the nerve to call her. Hadn't seen her in years.
But she was all he thought about lately.
He leaned on the arm of his green couch, rubbing his chin, his feet up, staring at his socks.
He did not know how to get rid of the thought of her.
Chapter Two
After Midnight Monday Memories
He remembers the day they went fishing, her refusal to put a worm on a hook. Until she blamed him for her not catching any fish. He watched the disgusted look on her face when she baited one of the little suckers and the I-told-you-so-grin she gave him when she finally caught a fish.
One to small to keep. Or at least, so she said. About all the fish they caught that day.
He remembers the steel grey colour of the lake, turning blue where the sun hit it.
He remembers when she was sick with a cold and he showed up on her doorstep with cough drops, Kleenex and 14 different movies.
She was in her pink nightgown with all the cowheads on it. It made her nose look even redder. She laid with her head in his lap, demanding drinks of orange juice and picking the movies. She was bossy and whiney.
But she smiled a lot.
And he knew enough to bring only movies he liked.
He remembers he got comfortable with her real quick.
He did some stupid things.
She demanded better.
But he was lazy. Then he met Chelsea.
Chapter Three
After Midnight Tuesday
The moon was a large one.
He felt foolish, but he did not know how else to get her out of him. Or if this would even work.
He thought about turning around and driving home, but he had come this far. It had been a four hour drive to her hometown.
A place she visited only occasionally.
He stepped out of his car, grasping the yellow plastic bag from the hardware store.
The air was damp and cool as he climbed.
When he got to the top, he pulled one of the cans of spray paint out of the bag and shook it up.
Chapter Four
Dawn Break
There in dark black; the next day everyone knew. But no one knew who.
Across the water tower, someone had sprayed:
I LOVE SARAH McDONALD
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