![]() Ernst, Max . The Wavering Woman . 1923 |
The Prodigy
She slammed the thirteenth shot of Stoli, slurred, sleeved her mouth and fell to frozen tile. Pattern, redundant and blue-cold, pierced her skin. It pinched her concrete nerves, smoked some joints and woke her senses. This prodigal shock was the fourteenth shot. The sun returned. She waved her vodka breath to yellow air and stood, untangled her serpentines, rubbed herself free of stark impressions, faced the ultimate glare. She staggered away with a skylight stare, bad luck on her sleeve. This fall to the floor was the best trip she'd ever taken. ©2000 Peggy Putnam Owen |