#01

22:1409-08-2013

Me and Rita had a fight last night.

Again?

Yeah, I was in the bathroom, and I get up from the toilet-

You were smoking on the can?

That wasn’t what we fought about.

What did you fight about?

I was getting up, and I started to cough, and I had this, this moment.

A realization. I realized, I didn’t use to cough. And then I looked in the mirror, I saw myself.

And you weren’t so pleased with yourself.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. I told Rita, right there, I told her changes have to be made. I said, I can’t live like this anymore. It’s time I get my shit together, you know?

I told her, listen, I have to quit all this smoking, booze, drugs, fast food. I should sleep more. I gotta treat my body - treat myself - like I know I should, because I’m tired of being this fucking stupid about my, my health and well-being.

It’s stupid. I need to stop making bad decisions. That’s what I said.

What did she say?

You’d think she’s be happy, glad, you know? Supportive. But, Rita, my bitch of a girlfriend, she just stands there, and, and starts to freak out on me.

You know how she is. I spill my guts, tell her all this, and all she does is ask what about weed?

She does love her weed.

All she cares about is getting high, having fun.

As she says this, I think, this is like talking to a kid. A baby!

And I told her, I’m too old for this shit!

She didn’t even get the reference.

And then what happened?

She screamed, I screamed, we fought, she stormed out.

I thought you were quitting.

Yeah, well, baby steps.

You are such a piece of shit.

You heard me.

What?

Do you ever think about anybody else?

What?

Someone other than yourself, you shmuck.

Are you serious?

She hates you. She’s been hating you for a while now. She’s been sticking it out, because she thought, maybe, if she tries hard enough, she’ll stop fucking despising you out of sheer force of fucking will.

She’s leaving you for me. That’s what happened last night. She’s had enough of you and your shit, finally.

Is this a joke?

What is this?? This, this isn’t funny!

It’s done. Over. Don’t come back home, you’ll get your stuff later.

Why are you doing this to me?

You really want to know?

Four months ago, Rita drops by. She came to me, and she told me how bad you make her feel. She hates how you feel when you fuck her. She came to me. I saw her and wanted her and I took her. Right fucking there.

She thanked me. She felt like I was doing her a favor.

You shouldn’t have called her a bitch.

Well she is a bitch and you are too!!

Work in Progress By Ben Gilboa