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The Essayist by Thomas Mundt

HE didn't get into The Game to make friends or romance Late-Night Stacys. It was always about The Exchange, the Old Tug ‘N Release. The Essayist was a communicator. It said so in his professional by-line but also just below his watercolor Embrace Chaser profile portrait. The Essayist played as hard as he worked.
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There Was No Normandy by Cassandra Moss


NORTH-WEST ENGLAND.
COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL. OCTOBER 1995
SUTCLIFFE: It was all basically fine. Basically, what you’re doing is getting through the curriculum requirements and that’s what I wanted to see. There were definitely things that you were doing right. Areas to improve in obviously but all of us have them. I’d say the children are definitely learning something, which is what we want so that’s, I’d say we want them to learn something each lesson even if it’s going over something we think they should already know if they’re from good primary feeders, not all of them are, or have the inclination to... But, does that make sense to you?
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Colin Dodds' Dialogue from That Blessed Year and An Inheritance, A Chance

The girl at the bar recommends anger management.

I say “Haven’t you seen the world?
My anger is right where it needs to be.”

and

An Inheritance, A Chance

What I’ve inherited
is not money or land,
but a way of closing a paperback book
of shoving my hands into my pockets in a crowd
of craning my neck
of staring off heaven’s better mousetrap
and hoping it works
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Homie and the Wolf by Stuart Ross

I knew Shawna in college. We would cuddle, talking till dawn. When she moved to Logan Square I agreed to help her carry some heavier things. She also needed my advice on furniture placement and a few paintings.

When we got tired of unpacking we cuddled on the mattress in the center of the room. It was the final hour of night.

“Where are you, Bailey?” Shawna asked. “You seem far away.”

“I need to get going,” I said.

“Take me to dinner tomorrow night. Show me sweet home Chicago.”

“I don’t eat out anymore.”

After sundown, what is there left to do. I wanted to head home and make offerings to Homie. Homie speaks to me concerning the levels of proprioception radiating from my unique frequency.
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