Bye-Bye Blue

Flash Fiction

Andrew Neel

I’ve been writing poetry at night. It’s new to me. Almost everything seems new to me these days.

Blue Sky has plenty of room
for clouds to gather.
They crowd and collide
to billow over me
and burst in storm.
I shelter in place
Until Blue Sky makes room again.

Blue wants to come over tonight.

Fifty-eight days and she texts me like we just talked yesterday.

Da-ding: I’ll be over in a bit. Hide the women.

Shit, two months of boo, now tonight? Ok. I guess. Ok.

OK (send)

But she needs to know.

Btw, I’m clean (send)

Da-ding: LOL!

Ok, Blue thinks I’m joking.

I’m serious (send)

Da-ding: boobie pic

Ok, I should clean up the place. The bed smells like sweat. Ok, I have Febreze. I’ll take a shower.

Blue is coming over tonight.

Ok, two months of nothing. Where has that thing been?

I’m not shitting you, everything flushed and smashed. (send)

Da-ding: For real?

Yup, soon as I got home from the hospital. (send)

Da-ding: Cat emoji
Da-ding: Don't be such a pussy
Da-ding: It wasn't even a heart attack

We can just hang out. I think there’s a bottle of wine. (send)

Da-ding: I’ll bring some shit.

No Blue. Don’t bring it. (send)

Blue is coming over tonight and we’ll sit on the couch and drink wine and talk like normal people.

Are you on your way? (send)

I hope she doesn’t bring any shit. Ok, I hope she does. Not. Two months. Gotta wonder who’s been tapping that. Have I ever seen her straight? Ok, have I ever not been lit when I’ve seen her? Those are tough questions. Ok, no and no.

Blue is coming over tonight and I can’t remember one conversation we’ve ever had. Two months of boo and it’s just the same.

I have to get up early tomorrow. I’m working steady. (send)

Two months. Her hair could be a different shade of shocking by now. She’ll be surprised that I cut mine short and shaved the beard. Blue is coming over tonight and she may not even recognize me.

Ok, I don’t want to be the guy she recognizes.

Blue isn’t saying boo.

It’s getting late. Maybe another time. (send)

Da-ding: Are you for real??!

I told you, I have to get up early for work. (send)

Da-ding: Ass pic
Da-ding: Kiss emoji
Da-ding: Middle finger emoji

Ok, I’ll change the sheets soon but not until the sweats stop. The days have gotten better but the hell-hound still visits every night. He lays his paws on my chest and breathes hot funk in my face. This bed is small. Just me and the hell-hound for now. There’s no room for Blue.

Bye-bye, Blue. (send)

Da-ding: Cat emoji