DOWNTIME
I woke up in time, propelled by the urgency of my bladder and the heightened noise from the brightened living room; they were done with breakfast and ready to go. Pulled in for farewells, their heads are reaching to my breasts, just as they did years ago—it’s the bodies which have elongated and stretched them up to these heights. “Goodbye,” I say, “have fun.” We kiss and they are gone, out to the still dark silence of pre-dawn. The car was loaded last night and I turn on the kitchen light again to wave from the window; otherwise they wouldn’t...