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Eunuch

The business of lies requires work and I work best in my underwear. At my desk, pen in hand, lines below me, I think, reflect, today I’m going to fall in love, I say, and then outside the window I see a young woman sitting in the grass with a baby, no baby, sitting in the grass alone. She’s beautiful, stunning, no, average-looking, belle of the ball or maybe village, pretty, nothing to scoff at, but women are always more beautiful in the grass with or without a baby, I think, thought, have always thought, believe this is why I’m so miserable.

But wait a minute, she sees me, she’s pointing to me, “Me?” I ask. “Yes, you,” she nods, beckons for me to come down and join her, I put on pants, come down, join her. “I saw you,” she says, “seeing me,” or else she doesn’t say anything. “Hi,” I say, and she doesn’t say anything. She’s lying down and reaches up for my hand, my hand still holding the pen, the pen marks her hand and she pulls away. “I’m sorry,” she says, “I thought you were someone else.”

No, that’s wrong, didn’t really happen. She never saw me looking at her from the window. I remain in my room. I’m a eunuch, by which I mean I have no balls. No, not really, that’s just what I call myself on account of my low self-esteem. I’m still here, two days later, and the woman who was never there is gone.

 

Other Suggestions:

"Check Out Jeremy Benjamin's New Collection of Short Fiction."

"Read the thought-provoking essay, "Marching Backwards Into The Future," an original work by local writer Matt Briggs (Author of Shoot The Buffalo)."

"Read part one of an original interview with NY Times bestseller and columnist for the Oregonian Chelsea Cain (Author of the recently released book, Sweetheart) by PFP editor Doug Dean."

"Read an original interview with award-winning Danish novelist and PSU faculty member Peter H. Fogtdal (Author of the recently released book, The Tsar's Dwarf) by PFP writer Jacob Aiello."

"And while you're at it, check out Jacob Aiello's review of the recently released The Tsar's Dwarf by Peter H. Fogtdal."

"Read an original interview with Alison Clement (Author of Twenty Questions) by editor Doug Dean."

"Purchase Twenty Questions by Alison Clement."

"Read Tom Spanbauer's essay 'The word Nigger' (the Preface to the New Edition of Faraway Places)."

"Purchase Faraway Places by Tom Spanbauer."

"Buy Tim Joseph's New Collection of Short Fiction."



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