Scott Garson ~ Tell Me What It Is

1. Nothing.

2. Just some­thing on my phone, that’s right.

3. Words.

4. What time’s soc­cer practice?

5. Nothing real­ly. It’s just—I need—

6. What if we just step outside?

7. What if we—

8. Let’s sit.

9. Right here.

10. Sit down.

11. Right here in the driveway.

12. Nothing, just give me a sec­ond, baby.

13. Give me a sec­ond here.

14. Her name was Lily.

15. Lily Garza.

16. One of the peo­ple yes­ter­day who was—

17. One of the peo­ple who died.

18. It was some­thing that happened.

19. She was a year old­er than you.

20. Nothing, just give me a second.

21. I feel like—come here.

22. Come here to your Dad.

23. I feel like we should have to—

24. She played sports, you know.

25. Like you. Basketball.

26. Last week was her birth­day. Thirteen.

27. What time’s practice?

28. Maybe we could—

29. What is nobody did anything?

30. Is that crazy?

31. What if nobody went to the store?

32. Nobody made an appointment.

33. Figured out dinner.

34. What if we just stopped?

35. Everyone.

36. What if we made ourselves.

37. Really.

38. Stop.

39. She wrote haiku. For her fish. In a notebook.

40. Nothing.

41. I’m sorry.

42. I’m sor­ry, I am.

43. It’s just—

44. Nothing.

45. Hey.

46. It’s okay.

47. I’m okay.

48. I am.

49. Your Dad is—

50. Just give me a second.

 

Scott Garson is the author of Is That You, John Wayne?—a col­lec­tion of sto­ries. He lives in cen­tral Missouri and edits Wigleaf.