Pillow Talk
Carl was reading Great Expectations and marked his place with a paper clip. He placed the book on the nightstand and pulled the gold chain on the lamp, extinguishing it’s light. He looked over at Jane. She had curlers in her brown hair and was wearing the same old beige nightgown she’d been wearing since the dawn of time, or so Carl would have sworn. He thought about how she could be so pretty if she wanted to be. “I talked to Les earlier today.”
She sighed and put down her magazine. “Les Martin?” She asked with a sneer.
“Yes, our neighbor.”
She picked her magazine back up and began to read about the latest exploits of Charlie Sheen, of a Vampire named Edward and of a slutty girl named Snooki. Les Martin could wait. “I don't like him.”
“I know. Did you know that he and Kathy are splitting up.”
Jane rolled her eyes and scoffed and once again put the magazine down, this time closing it and putting it on her nightstand and turning off the light. She rolled down into the bed, under the covers and began to fluff her pillow. “About time.” She lay down on her side, no longer facing her husband. He leaned over and put his arms around her. She shrugged him off with a groan. “No. it’s too hot.”
“He doesn't have a place to stay. He's letting Kathy and the kids stay in the house,” He said gently. Les was his carpool partner at work. They both worked at Moulson Plumbing Supply, though Carl was the regional manager and Les just a commissioned sales person. Things were tight for him and Kathy and Carl always drove and never asked Les to pay for gas or even let him buy a cup of coffee. It was his way of helping.
“Well, he can't stay here,” Jane snorted.
“That's awfully Christian of you.”
Jane turned her head toward Carl, who had his hands behind his head and was looking up at the ceiling with a funny grin on his face. He had brown hair that was slowly greying on the sides and a fashionable goatee. He has muscular arms and, with his arms folded the way they were, she saw them, but did not take notice. “I don't like him. He always gawks at me.”
Carl smiled and looked towards Jane. “Well. Can you blame him?”
She groaned and looked away. “Uggh. He's so gross. What the hell took Kathy so long? She seems like a smart, good looking woman.”
“Be that as it may, he needs a place to stay.”
“There's a Motel 6 on Riverfront.”
“It'll just be for a couple of days. Just 'til things smooth over.”
“I said no!” She shot up and raised her arms in frustration. “What? What the hell do you mean it’ll be a few days?”
“Well, I sorta already offered him the spare room.”
“That's awfully Christian of you.”
“Just a few days. I Promise. A week. At the most.”
“Well, I hope you like the couch,” Jane snorted as she rolled over and pretended to sleep.
All rights reserved. Copyright Justin W Price. 11/20/2011
My poetry collection
Thanks for Reading.
A FREELANCE WRITER, HONORS STUDENT AND GOVER PRIZE FINALIST, JUSTIN W. PRICE (AKA, PDXKARAOKEGUY)IS A POET, SHORT STORY, BIOGRAPHY AND HUMOR WRITER. HIS POETRY COLLECTION, DIGGING TO CHINA, WAS RELEASED FEBRUARY 2ND, 2013 BY SWEATSHOPPE PUBLICATIONS AND IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM, BARNES AND NOBLE AND THROUGH YOUR LOCAL BOOKSELLER.
HIS WORK WILL ALSO BE FEATURED IN BEST NEW FICTION (2014 EDITION), AND HAS APPEARED PREVIOUSLY IN THE RUSTY NAIL, EFICTION, THE CRISIS CHRONICLES, THE HELLROARING REVIEW, BURNINGWORD, SEE SPOT RUN AND THE BELLWETHER REVIEW. HE CURRENTLY SERVES AS MANAGING EDITOR OF EPOETRY MAGAZINE AND THE BRIDGE ONLINE NEWSPAPER.
HE WORKS AS A FREELANCE WRITER, EDITOR, AND GHOST WRITER, AND IS WORKING TOWARDS HIS PH.D. HE LIVES IN A SUBURB OF PORTLAND, OREGON WITH HIS WIFE, ANDREA, THEIR LABRADOODLE, BELLA, SCHNOODLE, SAUVEE AND BLACK MOOR GOLDFISH, HOWARD WOLOWITZ.
PLEASE VISIT HIS PROFILE PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION. THANKS!
More Short Fiction by Me
- Hero For a Day
Up To bat in the last inning with two outs. Will he be the hero or the donkey? - Fat Joe
a short story about a very fat man with a very mean wife - Starfish
a nice day at the beach takes a turn... - Lime Green Buddha Part One
a work of short fiction about a one night stand
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