The Trickster Diaries/Chapter 81

I could not get off the merry-go-round. It was one kind of suffering for me, another for her, yet the art we made was a propulsional element that kicked in just as the noise and shake grew too intense, releasing us from atmosphere.

For several days I hung out on a park bench under a tree on the edge of the amusement park and watched, not posting, not commenting, not responding, occasionally peeking out from behind a newspaper or catching sight of her in a mirror at the hot dog stand.
“Hey, I said hold the relish, pal!” Then… uh oh, dame’s on the move. I throw away the dog and follow. County General. They won’t give me any info besides low blood count, immune system crash.
At 6PM my time I type on her channel: “Are you fixed? Don’t look now but there’s something for you over on my feed.”

“Ding.”
Juliette: Yes. All fixed. Nothing a blood transfusion and steroid work can’t cure. I’m really happy you asked. And thank you for the BEST song.
(She was referring to a live video version of Stevie Wonder performing “All I Do,” which I’d posted earlier with the caption: Feel better, baby).
Me: Good. You sound happy. Do you mind telling me why you needed those things?
Juliette: The big C. Diagnosed September 19, 2011.
Me: Talk to me.
Juliette: I will. I’ll tell you all about it. Tomorrow. Sleepy. Goodnight.
Me: Goodnight.

Tomorrow came, went. She never said another word about it and I never asked.

A few days go by. I post a very colorful, very abstract, multi-layer digital photo collage Juliette loves. “So lovely. Put this on MY planet!” she says.

We’d danced long enough.
Later that evening I delete my Ello account.

Permanently.