We were holding pencils. From the corner of my eye I saw a yellow light flash for a second. I didn’t bother to check what it was. You said, “See that woman over there? Between the trees?” I looked and I saw two wrinkled hands wringing. I said, “I am anxious.” And you…

We said goodbye to the hosts, they never begged us to stay. We didn’t belong, really. And we began our walk home, to our part of town. “What you up to tomorrow?” you said. “You mean later today?” I said. And then we talked some more. About plants that needed…

Andrei, It’s been a while. So picture this: Yesterday morning I’m on my way to work. (Yes, I’m gainfully employed.) I’m about to cross the road — it’s busy. I look both ways and I hop on the street from the sidewalk. One foot, the right, touches the tarmac while the other…

“What?” Tod said, and he was clearly worrying. “Don’t know. Just cannot get over it. How come she’s here and at the same time she’s not?” I wasn’t very articulate, but I was hoping Tod would follow. “She’s got the sub-level unit,” he said, as if explaining, “She, in fact, lives in…

You were sitting across me, between us were a rug and a bare low wooden table. “You go first,” you said, imploring. “Can I recite a poem?” I said. You took your time responding. “No, no poem, please.” Miles rushed by in a matter of anxious seconds, we both blinked…

(It was more green than blue, but then memories are what they are. Could have been the other way round. There was definitely a waterfall in the distance and a fair amount of insecurity. Location — to begin with, and reason for being there. …

Interior — Convenience Store along a road little travelled. Late afternoon light coming from outside, no lamps on. Humming from refrigerating units at back of Store. There is dust on most surfaces. Customer — elderly man, white hair, perfect manicure, shoes buffed and polished, wearing a well-worn striped jacket, limp…