red lights

by bofa xesjum

henry watched the red tail lights of the el dorado disappear into the desert. for the hundredth time. he was about ready to give up. irma and jerry had been messing wth him for a long time now. ever since he had first met irma. at the bus stop in grande platte nebraska. henry had been sitting on the bench at the bus stop reading a book he had forgotten to return to the library in akron ohio. the book was titled “astrophysics and you: the key to unlocking your dominant personality”. the author’s name was given as dr lee watijoski, but as there was no picture of dr lee on the book’s dust jacket, how did henry know thar dr lee watijoski even existed? the book was not very interesting, and henry wished he had a different one. he did not know how long he had to wait for the bus. he was not that familiar with grand platte nebraska and its ways. a young woman came along and sat down on the bench beside henry. she was not bad looking. henry was mildly amazed by this, as in his experience strangers never sat down together on public benches even if there was room to do so, because they just didn’t. he was not exactly scandalized, because the word “scandalized” was not included in his vocabulary and he no idea of the concept of being “scandalized.” henry thought the young woman might want to pick his pocket, and he felt reassured that his wallet was in his right back pocket, and that she was seated on his left. “is that an interesting book?” the young woman asked. henry was more sure than ever that she wanted to rob him, and he wiggled a bit on the bench to feel the wallet secure in his back pocket. aloud he said, “no, not very”, and looked directly at the young woman because that was the polite thing to do. “then why are you reading it?” “what are you doing talking to my girl, asshole?” henry looked up and that was how he met jerry. “do you know what general curtis lemay said?” jerry asked henry. “about war?” henry never liked to admit he did not know any particular thing - any fact, any date, any quotation, or that he had never read any particular book or seen any particular movie or heard of any particular person. so he said “um - i’m not sure i remember.” “general curtis ‘bombs away’ lemay said. ‘let me tell you about war - you kill the other guy. you kill him and kill him and kill him until he doesn’t want to be killed any more.’ henry was bewildered. “so?’ he asked. “are you going to kill me?” “no, asshole. but i am going to fuck with you. i am going to fuck wth you and fuck with you and fuck with you until you don’t want to be fucked with any more.” “but i don’t wan’t to be fucked with now,” henry said. “so you can save yourself the trouble.” jerry laughed as if that was the funniest thing he ever heard. “i don’t think so. you are not getting off as easy as that, my man.” and that was how it all began. * henry watched the red lights of the plane disappear over the desert. for the hundred and first time. irma and jerry were on the plane, along with henry’s wallet, and a document henry had signed, signing over all his present and future assets to irma and jerry, and which was safely in irma’s tigerskin handbag. were they finally through with him? “i have something to give you, “ a voice behind him said. he turned, and there was irma’s twin sister. henry had met her many times before, always with a different name - sandi or geraldine or eve or delilah or jezebel or cleopatra or joan of arc or annie get your gun or whatever. what did she want this time? “i have a word for you,” irma’s twin sister said . “the magic word. do you want to hear it?” “why not?” henry answered. “what do i have to lose?” “the word is - persimmon.” “i don’t even know what a persimmon is.” “try to remember it anyway.”