And Then the Nightmares Began

You won’t believe me but one night last month as I was trying to sleep an unknown hand divine or otherwise presented me with a monster.  The monster had coarse deep-red skin and a cheap ill-fitting suit with a large porkpie hat and a kind face except for the hungry menacing look in the eyes that revealed itself if I gazed too long.  I waited patiently for the monster to begin to frighten me but he just stood there swaying a little as if he were slightly drunk and eventually I became uncomfortable so I asked him what did he want.  He said he didn’t know.  It occurred to me as his low staccato voice cracked on “know” that he reminded me of an old lover of mine so I asked if there was any acquaintance between them.  He couldn’t recall but conceded it was entirely possible.  We fell into silence.  I began to watch ill-conceived shadows of mundane memories crawl across the wall through the dusty slivers between the blinds.  They materialized and faded at random without acknowledging either of us.  The monster failed to show any particular interest.  Perhaps he was observing them, or perhaps he was engaged in some personal inquiries, such as what did he still have in his refrigerator that he could make for dinner, and did he remember his keys, and was he going to file his taxes on time, and what could he do to make that lady-monster across the street finally notice him.  After a while he stopped swaying and asked if I was afraid.  I told him I was afraid I did not know what to be afraid of.

              He sloppily tipped his hat and saw himself out the front door.  There was a careful click in his wake.  I did not bother to rise and engage the lock, though I lay awake for a long time.  The shadows became darker after he left.