on like this forever - chapter 3, part 2: mickey

on mickey's ninety-third birthday the boys sent him a cake nurse jones delivered it three orderlies sang happy birthday to you everybody had a good time outside the birds were making noise too much noise happy birthday was over eternity beckoned to mickey remorse smiled uncertainly at him he ignored both of them as the hours ticked away nothing to worry about despair was for chumps mickey had plans and plans for his plans yes he did behind his wraparound shades evil schemes abounded harry miller the haberdasher everything mickey knew he learned from harry down in the old neighborhood in the seventeenth ward did he learn his lessons or what? no one learned better things were good then under mickey's placid exterior plots spread like kudzu 'i need to sweep under the bed" nurse jones was back turning his wheelchair to the window humming an old favorite tune eyeing nurse jones surreptitiously somnolescence overtook mickey kicking cake crumbs under his wheelchair yawning like a crocodile but tomorrow i'll get started he thought revenge flickered like a volcano determination like flowing lava see if i don't come back as mickey flopped forward in his chair nurse jones did her job duty was her life plots and plans were alien to her lately though she had been thinking and certain thoughts never before acknowledged entered her brain softly as summer rain why was she here? every day was the same really what was the point? explanations were lacking feeling faint, she paused looking out the window yellow leaves lay under the bare trees i'm like those trees, she thought nobody notices me guess i am getting old turbulence roiled mickey's brain a master plan formed kerosene-like it flamed in an instant it was gone never to return gone forever ashes blew down the street packing a shotgun al brown stood on the running board in the window of uncle dave's pawn shop return to sender open your eyes form a plan peeking at her as she finished making his bed nurse jones filled his vision there was a woman she was the key "oh, nurse," mickey called falling halfway out of his chair fumbling for his brain too late - his brain disintegrated empty hopes dispersed into nothingness collapsed helpless all over it was the end really but his body remained empty strong hands gripped it "i've got him" nurse jones called dr wilson appeared equanimous as always he had almost liked mickey in a strange way suspecting him of terrible crimes but he was a patient egregious though his deeds may have been dr wilson sighed jones had things under control orderlies appeared happy birthday was over now back to work never a quiet moment yet they carried on paperwork paperwork until the cows came home too bad about the cows they never came home how sad eternity beckoned to them too mooo outside the birds and bugs were quiet none of them cared about mickey