Anne Brisden

A couple of minutes away from my parents' farmhouse, I pulled over to the side of the road for a piss under an old peppercorn tree.

I then sat under that tree and sipped at the third can of bourbon and cola, enjoying the peace and quiet of the afternoon.

When I'd finished, I shook the last dregs out of the can, crushed it in my hand, and threw it way off into the bushes.

I dug into my jacket pocket and pulled out the half-pack of XXX mints I'd planted there earlier.

I then went to the side view mirror to look at my face.

I checked my bloodshot eyes and sucked and crunched on those mints and then I spit in my hands and tucked my wild head of curls behind my ears.

My head didn't feel so good.

Hey, Teddy.

Can you tell Carol I'm here to pick her up?

She got her things ready.

Ted was wearing his farmer's overalls and a straw farmer's hat.

He hadn't done any field work for as long as I could remember.

He hired in blackfellas on the cheap to do the slog while he sat on the phone nattering to his stockbroker.

Martha was wearing a pretty floral dress and a ton of make-up.

She never got out of bed of a morning without doing her face.

She doesn't want to see you.

She wants a divorce.

But she can't.

I signed up for a program, just like she asked me to.

I've been off it and I'm staying off it.