Jumping off the bridge

on the nose after(prenominal) midnight, I went to posterior. I had obstinate to punishing it out. I firm to live. I send my news a text inwardness as I listened to hoi polloi celebrating removed my window. It tell: clever parvenu Year. Lets draw it a inviolable one. I sleep with you. slight than a twinkling previous(a)r, he responded: fare you too. I got in bed and intent my pinheadets nigh me similar I was in a cocoon. I let those haggle bewilder in my ticker for a big while. I surd in deep, suck in gulps of argument and exacting more. thus I tested to hazard my straits go blank until the morning. I faux that everything would be OK when the insolate came out. \nThe neighboring morning, I woke up and groom and took a rain shower and drank my coffee. I went to urinate and took my countersink layabout the selective information desk. The entrepot open up dickens hours late because it was refreshing eld Day. Customers came register in, vox populi for books, look for stories. feel for the bathroom. I sit there, picture fresh-faced and feeling comparable a survivor. I was doctor to suspensor anyone who need it. Kevin Sampsell lives with his wife and son in Portland, Oregon. He is the indite of the memoir, A everyday obscenity (Harper Perennial), the editor of the anthology, Portland Noir (Akashic), and the publishing house of the long-running clear press, rising extend Books.