IV. TUESDAY

Tuesdays were best.

 

Every second Tuesday in winter Geryon’s father and brother went to hockey practice.

 

Geryon and his mother had supper alone.

 

They grinned at each other as night climbed ashore. Turned on all the lights

 

even in rooms they weren’t using.

 

Geryon’s mother made their favorite meal, cling peaches from the can and toast

 

cut into fingers for dipping.

 

Lots of butter on the toast so a little oil slick floats out on top of the peach juice.

 

They took supper trays into the living room.

 

Geryon’s mother sat on the rug with magazines, cigarettes, and telephone.

 

Geryon worked beside her under the lamp.

 

He was gluing a cigarette to a tomato. Don’t pick your lip Geryon let it heal.

 

She blew smoke out her nose

 

as she dialed. Maria? It’s me can you talk? What did he say?

 

. . . .

 

Just like that?

 

. . . .

 

Bastard

 

. . . .

 

That’s not freedom it’s indifference

 

. . . .

 

Some kind of addict

 

. . . .

 

I’d throw the bum out

 

. . . .

 

That’s melodrama—she stubbed her cigarette hard—why not have a nice bath

 

. . . .

 

Yes dear I know it doesn’t matter now

 

. . . .

 

Geryon? fine he’s right here working on his autobiography

 

. . . .

 

No it’s a sculpture he doesn’t know how to write yet

 

. . . .

 

Oh this and that stuff he finds outside Geryon’s always finding things

 

aren’t you Geryon?

 

She winked at him over the telephone. He winked back using both eyes

 

and returned to work.

 

He had ripped up some pieces of crispy paper he found in her purse to use for hair

 

and was gluing these to the top of the tomato.

 

Outside the house a black January wind came flattening down from the top of the sky

 

and hit the windows hard.

 

The lamp flared. It’s beautiful Geryon, she said hanging up the telephone.

 

It’s a beautiful sculpture.

 

She put her hand on top of his small luminous skull as she studied the tomato.

 

And bending she kissed him once on each eye

 

then picked up her bowl of peaches from the tray and handed Geryon his.

 

Maybe next time you could

 

use a one-dollar bill instead of a ten for the hair, she said as they began to eat.