unfinished story 003

• February 4, 2003
• James Skemp
• prose

1. ... but you've been here, all day, with that stupid grin on your face. And you don't even respond when I talk to you... I just need some kind of discussion, some show that you are alive, and aren't merely some mirage.
2. I've been walking around, how can you say I'm not alive?
3. You walk, and you walk, and you sit, and you... and you just have that dumb stupid grin on your face.
4. What's this really about?
5. That grin, I don't like it.
6. You used to like it.
7. I don't anymore.
8. Why?
9. Why.
10. I want to know.
11. Don't do this, you know why.
12. I don't, really, please, tell me.
13. You know perfectly well why I don't like that stupid grin.
14. It makes me look stupid.
15. Yes, absolutely.
16. Oh.
17. Oh.
18. Yeah, oh.
19. I don't like it.
20. Sorry.
21. Then don't grin.
22. Okay.  I'll lose the grin.
23. And don't start pouting either...
24. So, don't grin, and don't frown?
25. You know that's not what I mean.
26. But that's what you said.
27. No, yes, but that's not what I meant - no, I didn't say that at all, don't tell me that I did.
28. ...