July 18, 2023
Going
“Where are you going now?”
“Out for a while.”
“Out where?”
“Just out, maybe some errands, maybe just drive around a little.”
“But why?”
“Just feel like it, you know, just need to get out.”
“Out where?”
“Somewhere, anywhere, out moving around.”
“You’re just wasting time.”
“Whose time?”
“Your time.”
“My time’s my own, right, so what difference does it make?”
“Well, maybe my time, too.”
“Your time’s your own, too, remember?”
“How long?”
“Maybe an hour or two, maybe more.”
“This, how long do we do this?
“How long do you want?”
“I don’t want, why do you?
“I just, I just want . . .”
“What?”
“To go out for a while.”
“And . . .?”
“Just, I don’t know.”
“You don’t know, do you?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t know either.”
“Want, ahh, want to come?’
“Come where?”
“Where you want to go.”
“Where’s that?”
“You can tell me.”
“What have I told you?”
“That we can go somewhere?”
“Where’s that?”
“Wherever you want, ok?”
“Oh, now?”
“Why not, if you’re not going anywhere yet.”
“I am, but not yet, not now, maybe not later.”
“Then we should go?”
“I don’t know if we should.”
“Then you don’t want to go?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You want to go?”
“I didn’t say no.”
“Are you saying yes?”
“I am saying let’s go.”
“Oh, then, let’s go.”
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by Vincent Casaregola
Vincent Casaregola teaches American literature and film, creative writing, and rhetorical studies at Saint Louis University. He has published poetry in a number of journals, as well as creative nonfiction, short fiction, and flash fiction. He has recently completed a book-length manuscript of poetry dealing with issues of medicine, illness, and loss (Vital Signs) for which he is seeking a publisher. Vincent Casaregola 10132 Harwich Drive Crestwood, MO 63126 (314) 330-2960 vincent.casaregola@slu.edu