the time when I found out about patsy

she called me up one o’clock one morning and said

would I come check on her frigerator

something’s gone

wrong she said

and i said what the hell pat what do i know about a fridge

but then she started crying

so i got dressed and drove over there

to take a look

and the inside of it was warm as a body and dripping sweat

might be the thermostat

i said maybe the motor but then i noticed the food

open cans and bottles way out of date and all moldy like

and i said my god pat

don’t tell me you’ve been eating this stuff

and she put her hands

in her lap and looked off out the window

with her lip trembling and she said i talk to myself and i tell myself 

it’s all right now

you’ll see

jimmy’s coming to fix it and we’ll be just fine just like always

---

JAMES LINEBERGER is a retired screenwriter. His poetry has appeared in Boulevard; The Cortland Review; UCity Review; Main Street Rag; Pembroke Magazine; UCity Review; Slipstream; and New Ohio Review.

Return to Vol. 42.1