"The Gift"


	Waldour Jeffers had reached his limit
	It was now Mid-August
	Which meant that he had been separated from Marcia
	For more than two months
	Two months, and all he had to show
	Were three dog-eared letters
	And two very expensive long distance phone calls
	Truant school had ended
	And she had returned to Wisconsin
	And he to Locust, Pennsylvania
	She had sworn to maintain a certain fidelity
	She would date occasionally but merely as amusement
	She would remain faithful
	But lately Waldour had begun to worry
	He had trouble sleeping at nights
	And when he did he had horrible dreams
	He lay awake at night
	Tossing and turning underneath his pleated quilted protector
	Tears welling in his eyes
	As he pictured Marsha  her sworn vows
	Overcome by liquor and the smooth soothing of some Neanderthal
	Finally submitting to the final caresses of sexual oblivion
	It was more than a human mind could bear
	Visions of Marsha's faithlessness haunted him
	Daytime fantasies of sexual abandon permeated his thoughts
	And the thing was they wouldn't understand how she really was
	He Waldour alone, understood this
	He had intuitively grasped every knuck and cranny of her psyche
	He'd made her smile, she needed him and he wasn't there
	The idea came to him on the Thursday
	Before the mammoth parade was scheduled to appear
	He just finished mowing and edging Elderson's lawn
	For a dollar fifty and then checked the mailbox
	To see if there was at least a word from Marcia
	There was nothing but a circular form
	The Amalgamated Aluminum Company of America
	Enquiring into his only needs
	At least they cared enough to write
	It was a New York company
	You can go anywhere in the mails, then it struck him
	He didn't have enough money to go to Wisconsin
	In the accepted fashion true, but why not mail himself
	It was absurdly simple
	He would ship himself parcel post, special delivery
	The next day Waldour went to the supermarket
	To purchase the necessary equipment
	He bought masking tape, staple gun and a medium sized
	Cardboard box just right for a person of his built
	He judged that with a minimum of jostling
	He could ride quite comfortably
	A few airholes, some water and a box of mid-night snacks
	And it would probably be as good as going tourist
	By Friday afternoon Waldour was set
	He was thoroughly packed and the post office
	Had agreed to pick him up at 3 o'clock
	He'd marked the package fragile
	And as he sat curled up inside resting on the foam
	Rubber cushioning he thoughtfully included
	He tried to picture the look of awe and happiness in Marcia's face
	As she opened her door and saw fer package, tipped the deliverer
	And then opened it tr see her Waldour finally there in person
	She would kiss him and then maybe they could see a movie
	If he'd only thought of this before
	Suddenly rough hands gripped the package
	And he felt himself born up
	He landed with a thud in a truck and was off
	Marcia Bronson had just finished setting her hair
	It had been a very rough weekend
	She had to remember not to drink like that
	Bill had been nice about it though
	After it was over he said he still respected her
	And after all it was certainly the way of nature
	And even though he didn't love her
	He did feel an affection for her
	And after all they were grown adults
	Oh, Bill could teach Waldour
	But that seemed many years ago
	Sheila Clyne her very, very best friend
	Walked into the porch screen door and into the kitchen
	Oh God, it's absolutely horrid outside
	I know what you mean I feel all icky
	Marcia tightened the belt on her cotton robe with the silk outer edge
	Sheila ran her fingers on some salt grains on the kitchen table
	Licked her finger and made face
	I'm supposed to be taking these salt pills but ...
	She wrinkled her nose
	They make me feel like throwing up
	Marcia started to pat herself under the chin
	AN exercise she'd seen on television
	God don't even talk about that
	She got up from the table and went to the sink
	Where she picked up a bottle of pink and blue vitamins
	Want one, it's supposed to be better than steak
	And then attempted to touch her knees
	I don't think I'll ever touch a Daiquiri again
	She gave up and sat down, this time nearer the small table that
	Supported the telephone
	Maybe Bill will call she said to Sheila's glance
	Sheila nibbled on a cuticle
	After last night I thought you'd be through with him
	I know what you mean
	My God he was like an octopus arms all over the place
	She gestured raising her arms upwards in defense
	The thing is after a while you're tired of fighting with him you know
	And after all I didn't really do anything Friday and Saturday
	So I kind of owed it to him you know what I mean
	She started to scratch
	Sheila was giggling with her hand over her mouth
	I tell you I felt the same way and even after a while ...
	Here she bend forward in a whisper
	I wanted to
	Now she was laughing very loudly
	It was at this point that Mr. Jameson of the Curenstylo Post Office
	Rang the doorbell of the large stucco-colour framed house
	When Marcia Bronson opened the door
	He helped her carry the package in
	He had his yellow and his green slips of paper signed
	And left with a fifteen cent tip that Marcia had gotten out
	Of her mother's small beige pocketbook in the den
	What do you think it is, Sheila asked
	Marcia stood with her arms felded bohind her back
	She stared at the brown cardboard carton
	That sat in the middle of the living room
	I don't know
	Inside the package Waldour quivered with excitement
	As he listened to the muffled voices
	Sheila ran her nail over the masking tape
	That ran down the center of the carton
	Why don't you look at the return address and see who it's from
	Waldour felt his heart beating, he could feel the vibrating footsteps
	It would be soon
	Marcia walked around the carton and read the ink scratched label
	Oh God it's from Waldour
	That schmuck said Sheila
	Waldour trembled with expectation
	Well you might as well open it said Sheila
	And both of them tried to lift the stapled flap
	Ash said Marcia groaning he must have nailed it shut
	They tagged on the flap again
	My God you need a power drill to get this thing opened
	They pulled again
	You can't get a grip
	They both stood still breathing heavily
	Why don't you get the scissors said Sheila
	Marcia ran into the kitchen
	But all she could find was a little sewing scissors
	Then she remembered that her father
	Kept a collection of tools in the basement
	She ran downstairs and when she came back
	She had a large sheet metal cutter in her hand
	This is the best I could find
	She was very out of breath
	Here you do it I think I'm gonna die
	She sunk into a large fluffy couch and exhaled noisily
	Sheila tried to make a slit between
	The masking tape and under the cardboard flap
	But the blade was too big and there wasn't enough room
	God damn this thing
	She said feeling very exhasperated
	Then smiling, I got an idea
	What, said Marcia
	Just watch said Sheila touching her finger to her head
	Inside the package Waldour was so transfixed with excitement
	That he could barely breathe, his skin felt prickly from the heat
	And he could feel his heart beating in his throat
	It would be soon
	Sheila stood quite upright and walked around to the other side
	Of the package, then she sunk down to her knees
	Grasped the cutter by both handies
	Took a deep breath and plunged the long blade
	Through the middle of the package, through the masking tape
	Through the cardboard, through the cushioning
	And right through the center of Waldour Jeffer's head
	Which split slightly and caused little
	Rhythmic arcs of red to pulsate gently in the morning sun



	{D/C}{D/C}{D/C}{D/C}	(Waldour Jeffers had reached his limit ...)
	{D/C}{D/C}{D/C}{D/C}	(Two months, and all he had to show ...)
	{D/C}{D/C}{D/C}{D/C}	(Truant school had ended ...)
	{D/C}{D/C}{D/C}{D/C}	(She would remain faithful ...)
	....




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///// transcribed by Shirou Kouchi (wildside@mtci.or.jp) /////////////////////
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