OCR Text |
Show Go Love/209 "What?" The host looks confused A second policeman is walking him through the registry notebook, calling names and license numbers. His wife holds a little dog with a pink bow between its ears Not two hours has passed since I wrote them a check for our site. "Get out. Leave." I can't see his eyes, but the voice has an edge, like I've started the fire. "Now?" This cop stares me through. And when I looked back he's still staring, burning holes in my back, a thin grey plume rising behind his back. The day is hot and clear-perfect lake weather. And the water was cold. The thought of repacking, humping gear in the godawful heat, doesn't t seem fair We're being cheated. I've paid money down for our site. We're grieving people. Forget you," I say out loud. On the horizon dances the first tongues of flame, a sight that freezes me. Tangled in smoke, the mute blaze rises up and takes its breath. I feel it on my face, under my teeth. A helicopter's taken to the sky. We see it over the lake, whipping the water into little whitecaps. Lara colors in the Bugs Bunny book we bought for her in Arkansas. All during the funeral, while the Baptist preachers gave their best shot at making us feel like shit, my daughter colored a rabbit. "Is MaMa hungry in her casket?" she'd asked. How to answer? I'm loading the kitchen into an ammo box when the pair of cops slam up. "This is it," the one with glasses says He grips his pistol butt, I swear to god He put his hand on his gun "Leave those dogs." He leaps into the car and screams off with sirens full-blare |