8:130) chris abraham 09-FEB-98 9:49

the weekend. i am a working man. sleeping. feeling the exhaustion. the sheets, my alibi. valentine. st. vitus. dance. hallmark. chocolate. les roses. long stem. 12? 24? 6? doing the dozens, the waxy faux rose, dowsed with a spray of mist to make the velvet lips stand out, to hide the thorns with baby's breath. breathe. breathing like a lover. breathing like a diver. slow deep breaths. sipping. buzzing, humming the breath away, sipping the air. like single malt. not malt liquer. a held breath can rupture the lung. the air collects under your skin and crackles under fingers. air embolism. going too deep, sucking the air, watching the guage sweep. sweeping water, deep blindness. nitrogen narcosis. to be narced. the effect of depth. mixed gasses. even air becomes toxic. even words of love can hurt.