Ascent Read Free Page A

miles
    Outside of Van Meter
    Granddaughter of
    Clarence “Peter” Dunn
    Maureen James
    Small wooden clapboard house
    Peeling paint
    Odds are
    It would have crumbled to pieces
    A grandmother herself
    Blue jeans
    Puffing Parliament
    Heavy chuckles
    Coughs
    Outside a table
    Chopping carrots
    2 grandchildren
    Jasper and Amelia
    Running around
    Come on
    Want to help
    Your old grandma
    Make a carrot cake?
    Wind blowing
    Chuckles
    Coughs
    Their mom works a lot
    Meat packing plant
    I’m on disability
    So I take the kids
    They’re dear
    Aren’t they?
    —Yes they are ma’am
    Glowing
    Still glowing
    Floating through
    The night sky
    We ask her
    About her grandfather
    And any casting
    Of the footprint
    Casting?
    I don’t know
    Of any casting
    A footprint?
    A footprint of a robber?
    The story is
    He saved the bank
    From getting robbed
    Singlehandedly
    Blasted his shot gun
    Right through the glass
    Boom!
    Nailed that son of a bitch!
    Nailed ‘em!
    Coughs
    Crumbled to pieces
    That night
    Eric and I at the motel
    Texting
    With Lori
    My phone beeps
    Text photo
    From Julie
    To my wife
    And me
    Her camping trip
    A light
    Over the tree line
    Large-orb like
    Glows
    Mom, Dad
    We saw a UFO!
    I kid you not!
    We all saw it
    It was so cool!
    We have pictures
    And video
    A light above us
    Floating through
    The night sky
    Floating
    It was bizarre
    Rising above us
    I giggle
    Text her back
    How wonderful!
    Did you ever see one Daddy?
    No
    Later
    Lying in bed
    —I wasn’t faithful to Lori
    What?
    —I wasn’t faithful
    —I met her at the gym
    —She was always smiling at me
    —Flirt
    —Asian girl named Tammy
    —Texted me photos
    —Then we hooked up
    —Only twice
    —I felt too guilty
    When?
    —Six months ago
    —It was nothing
    —But we hooked up
    —I’m going to tell her
    Now you’re going to tell her man?
    Right before the wedding?
    You crazy?
    You want to fuck this all up?
    —I have to
    —I feel too guilty
    Silence
    —Did you ever stray?
    What?
    —Did you fool around on Sarah?
    No
    Don’t tell her
    It’s over right?
    —Yes
    Then don’t tell her
    It never happened
    It never happened
    Sweating
    I’m pawing for her buttons
    Right in the bathroom
    Pawing
    As we fall
    Undo her strap
    Fingers tremble
    We can’t tell anyone
    As we fall
    Fingers tremble
    This never happened
    ***
    After we leave
    Maureen James
    Granddaughter of
    Clarence “Peter” Dunn
    Goes down to the cellar
    Retrieves old cardboard box
    Takes it outside
    The wind is blowing
    Blowing
    Opens the old box
    Unwraps something
    Yellowed filthy newspapers
    What is it Grandma?
    What is it?
    The wind is blowing
    Examines
    Old plaster casting
    What is it?
    Large footprint
    Three toes
    The wind is blowing
    Want you to help me guys
    You each grab hold of it
    What is it Grandma?
    And squeeze
    We all squeeze
    Why are we doing this?
    Breaks apart
    Crumbles
    She smiles
    Dust
    The wind is blowing
    She smiles
    It never happened
    I look at of the Facebook postings
    Photos and videos
    Tweets
    Instagram
    Tumblr
    Flicker
    Blogs
    Websites
    A flash of light
    In the darkness
    Rising
    Over the trees
    Large silent object
    With bright lights
    Glows
    300 feet
    Over a pasture
    We all saw it
    We’re not crazy
    We’re not crazy
    At their wedding
    We’re all dancing the Horah
    Dancing
    His tie loose
    Shirt untucked
    Drunk
    Sweaty
    Dancing the Horah
    Put them in chairs
    We lift them
    Lift them
    Laughter
    Each holding
    The end of a napkin
    The flash
    Of lights
    Her beautiful white A-line sleeveless
    Satin lace gown
    Trembling
    We fall
    Undo her strap
    Glistening
    We lift them
    We lift

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
    I want to thank Lenora Lapidus and Izzy Lapidus. You are my life.
    I want to thank Vincenzo Bilof and Pat Douglas of Bizarro Pulp Press for having the faith.
    Thank you for reading Jerry Wilson and David Herter. Your opinions mean so much.
    Thank you to Elizabeth Powell, Jordan Krall, Jim Goddard, Scott Rogers, Chris Kelso, Jacob White, Alexis Fancher, Kris Saknussemm, Jennifer O’Grady,