I have no idea why I came up with this. For whatever it’s worth, here it is.

Reader

She pushes the plate at him

            piled high

            Cornmeal mush with Mrs. Butterworth’s and sausage

Eat everything you can, she says

She picks up the cigarette

burning and balanced on the edge of the table

            ash dropping to the floor

She presses the sandwich baggie with ice to her puffing cheek

The man out back is making noise

            banging with wrenches

            cussing and pounding

            until the truck starts

A hail of grinding metal

            throws gravel against the side of the house

He cleans the plate as she stands at the kitchen sink

            her back to him

He leaves the room to return with a full gym bag

She watches the road

            smoking

            the baggie on her face

Smoke drifts to the ceiling

She tosses the cigarette butt in the sink

            it hisses

She turns around

I’m taking my books this time, he says