BY JOANA XIPOLITAS
Previously published in Adelaide Literary Magazine and the Sandhill Review. Copyright is held by the author.
I WANT to marry you because you’re the prettiest girl I’ve seen; why have you gotten so fat; I want a child, but I don’t want to take care of him; I know you suffered long and hard birthing my son, giving me the greatest gift anyone has ever given me; if you ever leave me, I will take my son from you; I can’t stand being married to you; wash the dishes; clean the house; do the laundry and make sure it’s folded nicely; take care of the kids because I don’t feel like taking care of them – I worked all day; come change the sweaty sheets on my bed, I can’t sleep well like that; make sure I have clean clothes; make sure the countertops are cleaned, you left crumbs on them the other night; help me with my work, I’m not smart enough to do it myself; you’re so fucking stupid; go cut the lawn; take out the trash; wash the dog; shut that child up, I have a headache; cook my meals and have them ready every night when I get home, don’t forget meat, vegetables, and rice, plenty on my plate; make sure you wash the rice, I don’t want it mushy; go fetch my cold beer, I’ve had a long day; come make me laugh, this winter weather is making me low; sit down next to me and keep me company, I am lonely; I don’t care about your dreams and goals, I need you to make me better; I really don’t care what you have to say; use your brain, woman, and stop being so stupid; why are you crying again, you should be happy; you’re so lazy, go find a job and make me some money; no, you can’t work because I refuse to watch the kids, I have my own work; go to the store and use our money to buy good food that I like, but don’t spend too much on yourself; you really made this house a home; this house and everything inside is mine; stupid women, why did you spend so much of my hard-earned money; I love you, come over here and service my needs, it’s Saturday night; I can’t stand living with a woman like you, you are never satisfied; what’s the matter with you, you only want me for my money; woman, you have all you want in life, why are you constantly unhappy; come clean up the pieces of the lamp I broke; woman, why did you make me break that lamp; you break my nerves, women, I can’t stand being married to you; you look pretty today, who are you going to meet; I don’t want your family around, they need to mind their own business; I know I have a problem; woman, why are you such a problem; go make me something nice to eat, I worked hard today; you’re a stupid bitch, I don’t want you in my life; woman, why don’t you love me?
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Joana Xipolitas is a writer living in North Carolina, U. S.