A Walk in the Woods
Corey Mesler

-- It’s nippier than I thought.

-- It’s nice. These woods.

-- Yes.

-- Reminds me of other woods, other walks.

-- Whose woods these are I think I know.

-- When younger, when we were younger.

-- I remember.

-- That was quite a walk.

-- And quite a long time ago.

-- You were so—impetuous.

-- Youth.

-- Not that you’re less bold now.

-- Well—

-- I knelt in the grass before you. You leaned on a tree.

-- I remember.

-- A huge tree. A towering tree.

-- Yes.

-- A long time ago.

-- Not so much.

-- We were so young.

-- How did we know? How—

-- We didn’t. We just went on. Life is—just going on.

-- We’ve been through a lot, done everything.

-- It seems so at times, doesn’t it?

-- How free we were. How natural.

-- Is this a trail? I wonder. Is this a path?

-- I think so. Not—

-- There. It goes around there.

-- Yes.

-- Beautiful, though, isn’t it? The woods.

-- Yes.

-- Good to be outdoors, alone again.

-- After all this time, alone again.

-- The children.

-- Well.

-- We wanted that. We did. That was what we did.

-- Yes. A family.

-- Yes.

-- Time passes. Impetuosity wanes.

-- Yes.

-- You were so beautiful. I remember, the first time I saw your breasts.

-- Gone now. I hate that childbirth does that.

-- No, now.

-- It’s true. How can you—

-- You are beautiful still. I didn’t mean that.

-- I know.

-- Then.

-- Yes. Have we done it all, do you think? I want to do something else.

-- What—

-- Something we haven’t done.

-- It’s the woods. You’re remembering.

-- Yes.

-- That was lovely. You kneeling in the leafrot.

-- It was. Your dick.

-- Come now.

-- Your lovely dick. In my mouth.

-- Yes.

-- We could do that again. I would kneel here.

-- Woman. You.

-- I will. Do you want to? Do you want to stop a while?

-- I do want to stop. Here.

-- Yes. Sit.

-- A fallen tree. How long ago?

-- Right.

-- If only to rest. Can’t quite hike like I used to.

-- No.

-- You look lovely. The sun is in your hair. Your cheeks are flushed. Madonna.

-- Sweet man.

-- I need to pee.

-- It’s anywhere you want. Only nature out here.

-- Damn prostate.

-- Is it bothering you again?

-- Not really. Not much.

-- Are you going back to Dr.—

-- Yes. I mean, I know I must.

-- Yes.

-- It’s just—

-- I know. Me too. I think I’m due.

-- That scare that time. You had better.

-- I know.

-- Are you cold?

-- Not much.

-- You want my jacket? I told you to put on—

-- No. I mean, thank you, I’m fine. The sun here is—

-- Like honey. Your face.

-- Yes. Sitting here is nice.

-- It is.

-- I could stay here. I could sleep right here, under this tree. I could.

-- The woodland creatures would weave garlands for your hair.

-- Let’s take off our clothes.

-- Grimalkin.

-- I mean it.

-- We’d freeze.

-- We wouldn’t, you know. The sun is quite nice.

-- We’re too old to be nudists. Too old.

-- Ok.

-- I still have to pee.

-- Stand up and pee.

-- Yes.

-- Sweet—

-- Yes.

-- Wait—

-- Yes—

-- Let me hold it.

-- What?

-- Your dick. While you pee.

-- For Godsake.

-- No, really. I’ve never.

-- Just because.

-- I know.

-- Well.

-- Come here. Stand this way.

-- Now, Grimalkin.

-- Just you. How do you do it?

-- It’s fairly easy—just—

-- Here. Take your trousers down more. There.

-- Mm.

-- Now. Do it. Pee while my hand is wrapped around it.

-- Well—

-- Just. Like this? Should I hold it like this?

-- I’m not sure—

-- What is it? Does this hurt?

-- No, no. I’m not sure I can pee. With you.

-- Really?

-- Well, I’m not sure. I never could—you know—with someone else—

-- Shy man.

-- Yes.

-- Here, how bout I just shake your balls a bit. That help?

-- Not to pee—perhaps—

-- Ok. Let’s just be calm. Think about peeing. Water. Think about water.

-- Yes. Is this important to you?

-- It is. Suddenly it is.

-- Ok.

-- There, there. Calm. I am just rolling it in my fingers. There, there.

-- Mm.

-- Go ahead, Darling. Take your time.

-- Mm, just—

-- Yes—

-- I do—

-- I know.

-- I will—

-- I know. You have to pee. I feel it.

-- I do—

-- Yes. There. Oh—oh—there we go. Mm, it feels so warm. Mm, yes, I like the way it feels. Such a good stream, yes. Mm, that’s my man—I like how warm it is. Your dick thick and warm.

-- Oh—mm—you’re getting your hand in it—

-- Yes, I want to. I want to feel your pee, yes. Keep peeing. God, you were so full. It feels funny—your dick is so warm—and it feels—kind of throbby—I like it. I want my hands covered with your pee—there—God—

-- Oh. My sweet. That was quite a pee.

-- Yes. Yes, are you finished now?

-- Yes. I am. I think.

-- May I hold it just a while longer? While my hand is still warm with your pee?

-- Yes. My knees are weak.

-- There, there.

-- You’re a funny woman.

-- There. Now. Zip up.

-- Yes. Thank you.

-- That was—magnificent! I won’t wash this hand for a while.

-- You’re a funny woman. My Grimalkin.

-- We’d never done that before.

-- Ok.

-- A memorable day. Don’t you think?

-- I do. Yes. Thank you.

-- Thank you, darling. You pee very nicely.

-- Thank you.

-- Now, that path. Where does it go from here?

-- I don’t—

-- Is that it? Is that the path? Where do we go from here?

-- I don’t know. I don’t have any idea.




Click here to read the rest of issue 148


About the Author
COREY MESLER is the owner of Burke’s Book Store, in Memphis, Tennessee, one of the country’s oldest (1875) and best independent bookstores. He has published poetry and fiction in numerous journals including Rattle, Pindeldyboz, Quick Fiction, Cranky, Thema, Mars Hill Review, Adirondack Review, Poet Lore and others. He has also been a book reviewer for The Memphis Commercial Appeal and Memphis Flyer. His new novel, We Are Billion-Year-Old Carbon, came out in January 2006. His latest poetry chapbooks are Short Story and Other Short Stories, The Hole in Sleep, The Lita Conversation and The Agoraphobe’s Pandiculations. His poem, “Sweet Annie Divine,” was chosen for Garrison Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac. He also claims to have written “Gitarzan.” Most importantly, he is Toby and Chloe’s dad and Cheryl’s husband. He can be found at www.coreymesler.com.
Email: resolemcrey@yahoo.com


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