8 a.m. saturday

doorbell rings with urgency
i rush downstairs in underwear
eyes half functioning

she hands me a pamphlet
lends me a smile and a pitch
i growl unable to form words
toss the booklet back
at her in mid-sentence
she ignored my no solicitors note
taped to the door

before i slam it
she manages to blurt out
"how can you shut the door
in the face of god?"

i focus on lipstick flakes
smeared across her teeth and gag out
"i’m not shutting the door on god
i’m slamming it in you!"

back in bed
i hear knocking next door
he’s a truck driver and
likes his sleep
she’s persistent

on the 7th knock
a window opens
"who’s there?!" he blares like
the voice of zeus himself

"i’m clara
from the jehovah witnesses
could i have a minute of your time?"

"fuck off bitch!!"
down goes the window

later when i went out to check my mailbox
i found a watchtower stuffed inside
some people don’t get it
i drew dicks on all the pictures
with a red marker and mailed it back

 

check out dan's new book:

PAGAN SUPPER - Pudding House Publications.
• review by michael basinski •

Slipstream reviews with
michael baskinski:

• Number 20. 2000
• Number 21. 2001
• Number 22. 2002

Slipstream #23 is now available General Theme
80 pages - 2003 - $7.00