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| Outside by Johannah Rodgers August/September 2003 Eliza leaned back and yawned. The sunlight played on the drops of water remaining on the porch from last night’s rain. Eric wondered how well he knew this person as he lifted his glass. "You will never understand." Ants were crawling over the tight buds of the pink and white peonies, which looked like a child’s drawing of lollipops lined up in a row. It was 10:45. A car pulled into the neighbor’s driveway and a faint smell of exhaust was left in the air; the neighbor waved. In the middle of the backyard there was a tree with fern-like leaves. She brushed away some crumbs that had fallen on her shirt from the piece of toast she was eating and took a sip of coffee. "I wish you wouldn’t say things like that." The sunlight played on the drops of water remaining on the porch from last night’s rain. Eric wondered how well he knew this person as he lifted his glass. "You will never understand." Ants were crawling over the tight buds of the pink and white peonies, which looked like a child’s drawing of lollipops lined up in a row. It was 10:45. A car pulled into the neighbor’s driveway and a faint smell of exhaust was left in the air; the neighbor waved. In the middle of the backyard there was a tree with fern-like leaves. She brushed away some crumbs that had fallen on her shirt from the piece of toast she was eating and took a sip of coffee. "I wish you wouldn’t say things like that." Eliza leaned back and yawned. Eric wondered how well he knew this person as he lifted his glass. "You will never understand." Ants were crawling over the tight buds of the pink and white peonies, which looked like a child’s drawing of lollipops lined up in a row. It was 10:45. A car pulled into the neighbor’s driveway and a faint smell of exhaust was left in the air; the neighbor waved. In the middle of the backyard there was a tree with fern-like leaves. She brushed away some crumbs that had fallen on her shirt from the piece of toast she was eating and took a sip of coffee. "I wish you wouldn’t say things like that." Eliza leaned back and yawned. The sunlight played on the drops of water remaining on the porch from last night’s rain. "You will never understand." Ants were crawling over the tight buds of the pink and white peonies, which looked like a child’s drawing of lollipops lined up in a row. It was 10:45. A car pulled into the neighbor’s driveway and a faint smell of exhaust was left in the air; the neighbor waved. In the middle of the backyard there was a tree with fern-like leaves. She brushed away some crumbs that had fallen on her shirt from the piece of toast she was eating and took a sip of coffee. "I wish you wouldn’t say things like that." Eliza leaned back and yawned. The sunlight played on the drops of water remaining on the porch from last night’s rain. Eric wondered how well he knew this person as he lifted his glass. Ants were crawling over the tight buds of the pink and white peonies, which looked like a child’s drawing of lollipops lined up in a row. It was 10:45. A car pulled into the neighbor’s driveway and a faint smell of exhaust was left in the air; the neighbor waved. In the middle of the backyard there was a tree with fern-like leaves. She brushed away some crumbs that had fallen on her shirt from the piece of toast she was eating and took a sip of coffee. "I wish you wouldn’t say things like that." Eliza leaned back and yawned. The sunlight played on the drops of water remaining on the porch from last night’s rain. Eric wondered how well he knew this person as he lifted his glass. "You will never understand." It was 10:45. A car pulled into the neighbor’s driveway and a faint smell of exhaust was left in the air; the neighbor waved. In the middle of the backyard there was a tree with fern-like leaves. She brushed away some crumbs that had fallen on her shirt from the piece of toast she was eating and took a sip of coffee. "I wish you wouldn’t say things like that." Eliza leaned back and yawned. The sunlight played on the drops of water remaining on the porch from last night’s rain. Eric wondered how well he knew this person as he lifted his glass. "You will never understand." Ants were crawling over the tight buds of the pink and white peonies, which looked like a child’s drawing of lollipops lined up in a row. A car pulled into the neighbor’s driveway and a faint smell of exhaust was left in the air; the neighbor waved. In the middle of the backyard there was a tree with fern-like leaves She brushed away some crumbs that had fallen on her shirt from the piece of toast she was eating and took a sip of coffee. "I wish you wouldn’t say things like that." Eliza leaned back and yawned. The sunlight played on the drops of water remaining on the porch from last night’s rain. Eric wondered how well he knew this person as he lifted his glass. "You will never understand." Ants were crawling over the tight buds of the pink and white peonies, which looked like a child’s drawing of lollipops lined up in a row. It was 10:45. In the middle of the backyard there was a tree with fern-like leaves. She brushed away some crumbs that had fallen on her shirt from the piece of toast she was eating and took a sip of coffee. "I wish you wouldn’t say things like that." Eliza leaned back and yawned. The sunlight played on the drops of water remaining on the porch from last night’s rain. Eric wondered how well he knew this person as he lifted his glass. "You will never understand." Ants were crawling over the tight buds of the pink and white peonies, which looked like a child’s drawing of lollipops lined up in a row. It was 10:45. A car pulled into the neighbor’s driveway and a faint smell of exhaust was left in the air; the neighbor waved. She brushed away some crumbs that had fallen on her shirt from the piece of toast she was eating and took a sip of coffee. "I wish you wouldn’t say things like that." Eliza leaned back and yawned. The sunlight played on the drops of water remaining on the porch from last night’s rain. Eric wondered how well he knew this person as he lifted his glass. "You will never understand." Ants were crawling over the tight buds of the pink and white peonies, which looked like a child’s drawing of lollipops lined up in a row. It was 10:45. A car pulled into the neighbor’s driveway and a faint smell of exhaust was left in the air; the neighbor waved. In the middle of the backyard there was a tree with fern-like leaves. "I wish you wouldn’t say things like that." Eliza leaned back and yawned. The sunlight played on the drops of water remaining on the porch from last night’s rain. Eric wondered how well he knew this person as he lifted his glass. "You will never understand." Ants were crawling over the tight buds of the pink and white peonies, which looked like a child’s drawing of lollipops lined up in a row. It was 10:45. A car pulled into the neighbor’s driveway and a faint smell of exhaust was left in the air; the neighbor waved. In the middle of the backyard there was a tree with fern-like leaves. She brushed away some crumbs that had fallen on her shirt from the piece of toast she was eating and took a sip of coffee. Johannah Rodgers is a frequent contributor to the Brooklyn Rail. She lives in Brooklyn and is working on her second novel. |
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The Rail invites you to a reading with Jason Flores-Williams and Brian Carreira, along with musical guest Steve Strunsky of the Lonesome Prairie Dogs. Thurs., Sept. 22, 8:30 p.m. Vox Pop--Flatbush, Brooklyn www.voxpop.net |
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OFF THE RAIL FALL 2005 at the Central Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library - Grand Army Plaza |
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The Independent Press Association-NY recently honored The Brooklyn Rail with the following awards: |