two short stories

Eileen: ＂You’ll go back up there and forget we ever had this conversation. Sure it sucks sometimes and I don’t have money a lot of the time but Will, come on, what the fuck? Rome, Georgia? You’re gay honey. You need to be down here GETTIN’ LAID!＂ Sometimes she’d stop and yell ’Eric. ERIC!!＂ He’d uncurl himself from a comfy spot he’d found and perhaps dozed to come see what she wanted. ＂We’re almost out of beer honey.＂ Her voice many decibels softer. As soon as he left she’d say ＂Do you think I should treat him better?＂Obey: Linda gently put the receiver back on it’s base, replaced her left earring, and without looking away from the TV screen, poured herself a drink.＂It’s nine o’clock. Do you know where your children are?＂She knew the count. She knew the territory. She knew the names. Like the back of her hand. Not because she’d meant to know. Or wanted to. Or studied. She’d just tuned in, uncontrollably, automatically, and couldn’t bring herself to tune out. Things got done. Orders got placed. Meals got prepared. Service people got spoken to, quietly. And in the evenings, she tuned in, tuned out, and shut down.