Carlotta was asleep against the wall. Her mouth was open a little, a faint purr coming from her throat. Rennel sucked his chopsticks gravely and examined Carlotta’s bare legs. Lichtenstein watched Sam with ponderous eyes. His lips parted in preparation for something profound.

“If you suffer for material losses you don’t suffer in spirit.”

Sam nodded. “But you see, to him it wasn’t just a fine old Kapp and Peterson. It was a living thing that he loved.”

They talked. I was tired. My legs were going numb. The record played softly. I picked up the bowls and the chopsticks and the pot and carried them out to the sink. When I came back for Carlotta’s plate, her eyes were open but she hadn’t moved. Angelina slept in her lap. I smiled and took the plate.

Carlotta whispered, “You look like a cat.”

As I put the plate in the sink I remembered that Carlotta hated cats.

After that, more talk. A new stack of records. Lichtenstein rolled tiny marijuana cigarettes while we all watched. He lit one and the ritual passing began. Each of us with our distinctive suck, our individual methods of spending the time while we held in the smoke. Carlotta took one puff, passed the joint, and disappeared into the dark bedroom, holding her breath.

Lichtenstein left. Sam explained that he was living in the cabin to meditate for two weeks. We all meditated awhile. Angelina slept so still by the stove, she looked dead.

Rennel drove well on the way back to town. He didn’t seem to be thinking about it at all. He began, with a string of belches, “You know Aram’s taking a speed-reading course downtown so he’ll be able to study medicine really well.”

“Oh?”

“It’s only fifty dollars for six classes, but it really works. I think he’s beginning to take things more seriously.”

“Yeah. That must be what’s worrying me.”

“It’s the only thing that can save him from a descent into genuine psychosis.”

I grunted.

“It’s incredible that the human body can get so stretched out of shape.”

“You mean Carlotta?”

“She had a good figure before this. What’s she going to look like afterward?”

“Well, when the kid comes out, the belly flops down in a kind of bag. It’s big, it can hang to the knees. That’s why all women who have had babies wear girdles.”

“Christ.”

I leaned back and tried to sleep.

“Do you like Carlotta?” Rennel asked.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because she doesn’t like me.”

The toad’s peculiar poison

I’ve been expecting my brother all week. I suppose now he won’t come. It’s my own fault for fuming at his wife. Stupidity. I used to pride myself on handling people. Another myth of myself expunged, and about time.