Today in Billfordstown

A four-year-old boy sits fat in a swing not moving for no one is there to push him. A feeble old woman stands in front of her refrigerator, hungry, but her hands are unable to open the jar of pickles. A young woman lies on the fire escape making jewelry that not even she will wear. Charles sits on his motorcycle, unemployed for seventeen months, no money for gas anymore.

Nobody seems to be getting anywhere.

Today’s the day the zoo officials installed televisions in the chimpanzee cages to provide them with a more stimulating environment, but three minutes after the sets are turned on, the screens are so covered with feces that nothing can be seen.

And the birds fly south as the air gets colder while cats stare into the sky with remorse.

A half finished beer sits on the table, stale, the bottle dry, no more condensation on its smooth brown sides.

It’s just a few more hours until sunset.

Soon night will be upon us.