Today Alice wanted her coffee in a clear glass mug. She found a few in the back cupboard that she had bought at the flea market years ago. The mugs reminded her of science beakers where she could see the chemical, black coffee, hot. She pictured it going into her stomach and bloodstream and lighting up her brain like a sparkler. She imagined this as a science diagram with clear plastic overlays of her brain with before and after coffee comparisons.
Alice sat at the window and noticed her neighbor Eva come out in her translucent nightgown and sit on her back steps smoking. Poor Eva. Her only family are Ballard and Baxter her two ancient boxers.
Eva's father used to own the whole town of Jurges. Her mother was carted off to the mental hospital after standing in the front yard with a shotgun one Sunday morning aiming it at anything that moved.
Eva finished her cigarette and stared into space, cackling to herself. Some heritage eh? thought Alice. All the promise and tragedy combined. Welcome to Jurgesville.
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