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… Kris Wehrmeister …

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All the little lines

 

She held her breath, pressed her palm to the window’s glass as the headstones raced away, and then spoke into exhalation as the scenery changed, “Don’t bury me.”

Accustomed to agreeing, he nodded, checked the rear-view mirror, changed lanes. “Ground’s hard this time of year anyway.”

“No, I’m serious. Don’t let there be a place that is me. I don’t want to exist, even as a memory, in an assigned spot in a green lawn.”

He said nothing.

She sighed. “Remember the map?”

“I know where we’re going.”

“No, the map they gave us when we visited the cemetery where some of your relatives are buried. Remember? All the little lines of death ownership directing us to the spot where our particular deaths rested. Remember?”

“That was a long time ago, and you have such a weird way of putting things.” He glanced at her. “Our particular deaths?”

“I don’t want to be on a map.”

“Got it.”

Moments of silence passed, and then she asked, “So what’s the plan?”

He accelerated to find his place among the freeway-paced cars. “Dinner, drinks, excuses, and exit. We’ll be home by ten.”

“No.”

“What?”

Annoyed he hadn’t held the thread of the conversation, she leaned back into her seat and sighed. “Fire. Do you need to make a note on your phone or something? Because if I end up buried and mapped, I am going to be so pissed at you.”

“Crematorium a requirement? Or might this be a backyard fire-pit kind of thing?”

She smiled at the hopeful note in his voice. “Either one’s fine.”

He tapped out a rhythm to a song not playing, his fingertips drumming against the steering wheel. “Then all I have to do is figure out where to keep your jug of ashes.”

She burst into laughter. “Jug? My ashes are going to be in a jug? Like a milk jug?”

He swung his right hand into the space between them, conducting unheard music. “Or whatever it is one keeps ashes in …”

“No, that’s perfect.”

Some silent crescendo brought both his hands off the steering wheel for a few seconds. She stared out the window at the blur of broken white lines alongside and marveled at how heedless the journey could be. The song ended.

She reached for her phone and made a note to buy him a funnel.

 

Resist
November 1, 2017

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Recent Blog Posts

change, small and flat

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not a magpie

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lead

<div class="at-above-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/12/lead/"></div>  Behave as though everything you do matters even when nothing does yes else when the dog breaks free of its leash as you walk along the river you’ll stand […]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/12/lead/"></div><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt -->

strung

<div class="at-above-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/12/strung/"></div>  I fill the car’s tank with gas remembering the times you told me always be prepared to drive away Would you be disappointed how little leaving I have done […]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/12/strung/"></div><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt -->

coyotes

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fall past tense

<div class="at-above-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/11/fall-past-tense/"></div>  A stranger took an axe to the legs of an informational kiosk meant to offer welcome to wilderness felled the whole damn thing and then chopped it to bits […]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/11/fall-past-tense/"></div><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt -->

violetear

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I’ve taken

<div class="at-above-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/11/ive-taken/"></div>  I knew when I saw you I’d gotten it wrong but it was too late to hide the offering unwieldy in my arms pale green ribbon whispered undone tissue […]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/11/ive-taken/"></div><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt -->

she said

<div class="at-above-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/11/she-said/"></div>  she said … She was a woman who made conversation of the sort I disregard I let her words slip past me as I stared at her face and […]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/11/she-said/"></div><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt -->

and then some

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spin

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evidently

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how

<div class="at-above-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/11/how/"></div>  I held you all this time one-handed existence fingers entwined with yours I know this as I know my breath as I know the curled ache protective in my […]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/11/how/"></div><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt -->

raptor

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observance

<div class="at-above-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/11/observance/"></div>  Once a week thursdays early before the world has edges the woman colorless from sleep barefoot against the not-yet bold of fallen leaves unseen cracks the seal bends to […]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/11/observance/"></div><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt -->

agnate

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wake

<div class="at-above-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/08/wake/"></div>  it’s difficult to know anyone exists dressed in wanting but her small cold undoings these lies of yours make a river her fingers bare and loose trail in the […]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/08/wake/"></div><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt -->

wasps

<div class="at-above-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/08/wasps/"></div>  The wasps have set up housekeeping in the space of my neglect where echoes muddle meaning so rage twists on itself mere white noise now against my cheek thrum […]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/08/wasps/"></div><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt -->

and ten

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littlest faith

<div class="at-above-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/06/littlest-faith/"></div>  after the scything the world vibrates ever with loss you lift to my shadow plead of me mistaken break my heart I offer not what you ask but otherwise […]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/06/littlest-faith/"></div><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt -->

blank before fear

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be everyone

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raze

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in gone

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excisable

<div class="at-above-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/05/excisable/"></div>  After I tell you how the sun made me sneeze and the lilac wafted languid over mist riled by feathers know these details cloak me as I kneel in […]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.prettyalltrue.com/2017/05/excisable/"></div><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt -->

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