Who did the crisis there?
—John Ashbery
“Did you bring the jug of wine? I
did ask you to bring a jug of wine.”
“If you think we have a lot to discuss,
I would likely agree.” “What are the
topics?” “Why, Cancer and Capricorn,
of course.” [“Why, I oughtta!”] “At any
rate, how shall we sit while we have
this discussion?” “Ordinarily, I sit here,
on the left side of the sofa. As you know.
But for purposes of having a most effective
talk, tonight, I’m willing to be open-minded.
Would you prefer the recliner? The ottoman?
The cushion over there? And do you mind
if we keep the television on during tonight’s
engagement? There’s something of import
that I’d like to see.” These, at least, were
some of the various voices they heard in
their roundabout heads. Perhaps it was the
misrepresented tropics. We have low humidity
here. Generally. Perhaps it was the blaring
television, which was in the middle of one of
those procedural criminal dramas. It was
crime, after all, that was on both of their
minds. Which is a pity, given that neither
were criminals. Not of the hardened sort,
at any rate. “Come over here. Let’s sit
side by side on the couch. Like this.”
And so it began. They were both so eager
to please. Or perhaps it had been too long
since either had the opportunity to stare
into the unsettled pools of the other’s eyes.
Both had pairs that were brooding and lacking
distinct coloration. They both remembered
the days of black and white. Homes with
but one television set. And wood-encased
stereos with turntables hidden inside and
lots of static. These were so elongated
that one might have it sit underneath the
entire lengh of the living room window,
with the television tucked into the darkest
corner, ready to light up the night once
the hubbub subsided from each member of
the household’s arrival home from work, from
school, from the day’s appointments, etc.
Each man sat cross-legged on the couch facing
the other, anxiously readying himself for what were
wildly separate scenarios that each had envisioned
wildly separate scenarios that each had envisioned
regarding how the night’s conversation would end.
