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Hon. Know UR busy with deadlines, how bout lunch?
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Lunch? It’s 9 A.M. Ask me again in 2 hours.
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I was hoping we could get a reserv. Greek place you like.
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Don’t you mean that little Greek bistro YOU like?
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You like it to. Because taking me there guarantees midday sex.
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I love that place. I thought you had a meeting.
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In it. Texting neath the table.
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Up for sex-texting? I’m unbuttoning my shirt…
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Stop it. No lunchsex if you get me fired.
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Fine. I’ll take a shower. Pick you up at noon?
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Hon. Don’t leave the house. Something’s happened downtown. Turn on the news.
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All they’re saying is there’s been some kind of contamination. They’re quarantining everyone there. What happened? Are you all right?
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There were explosions, one of them in our lobby. It started a fire. I think everybody got out okay. But in the streets there was so much smoke, and dust.
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Stay calm, babe. Emergency services are on the way.
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Can you try to call me? I can’t get a line. The circuits are busy. I really need to hear your voice. Tell me everything will be okay.
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I can’t get a line from here, either. People are panicked, babe, that happens. But you don’t have to panic, because everything’s going to be okay.
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You always knew how to lie to me well.
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Secret to a lasting relationship. But I’m not lying. You’ll be fine. Where are you?
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Corner of 63rd and Ellerton. They’re rounding people up to “decontamination tents.” It’s spookily Orwellian. |
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You are really damn funny, you know that? It takes something to make me laugh at a time like this.
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You better not be crying, damnit; I’m supposed to be the girl.
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I thought men showing their emotions takes strength.
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Yeah, and that satchel you throw over your shoulder isn’t a manpurse.
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Babe. Are you okay? I just saw a mob push through the barricades and trample the tents.
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God. It was so ugly. We were like cattle, shoving and screaming. The police aren't even sure what to do now. They’re afraid if they direct us to the other tens, we’ll just overwhelm them and domino the rest. People are just wandering away, walking down the street like zombies. I. I’m almost home.
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Babe. You should turn back. If whatever’s happened to you can’t be cured with Excedrin then I can’t help you here.
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I just… God, I’m on the porch and I’m so scared... and this concrete is like ice through this skirt. I might be dying and, I just want you to hold me. But that might kill you, too.
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I could let you in. Worse-case, we die together. It’s romantic, at least.
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You’re not thinking clearly.
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I am. I’ve just never been great at that whole self-preservation thing.
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Have they said on the news yet what it was?
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No. But they’ve been going over the possibilities. Might be good for you to know our options.
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I don’t know if I want to know.
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You should anyway. If it’s radiological, then chances of a lethal dose are low. You need to wash off before it gets it into your eyes, nose, mouth- that’s how it kills you. If it’s chemical, it’s a probably a toxin absorbed through the skin, and you need to wash it away to keep from absorbing more of it. If it’s biologic you’re probably fine. Bio is really hard to spread into a population. You have to infect a small group and hope they spread the disease. Effective dispersal doesn’t exist. You should come in.
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I don’t know.
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Come inside. I’ll stay away from you until you’ve taken a shower, just to be cautious. And I’ll heat you some chicken soup, in case. Then we’ll go to bed; after all, you still owe me midday sex (if you’re up to it).
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OK.
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Good.
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Wait. I was totally freaking out, but this hot water relaxed me enough that I realized you are full of shit. There are a dozen ways me being here could kill you. It was sweet, but retarded. You need to go. Lock yourself in a part of the house I’m not in with supplies for a few days, and TV to watch the news. I couldn’t stand knowing I killed you. Please. I love you even if you are a tricky bastard. |
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You love me because I’m a tricky bastard. It’s what attracted you to me in the first place. And by the way, you’re going to feel the peculiar tickle of an unshaven man joining you in the shower- it’s me. I have to make sure you’re TOTALLY clean. It could be a matter of life or death. And if it is, it’s worth trying to die a little happy.
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