July writing, No. 17

by Abigail Donovan

---

The passenger who says he
is tripping his balls off
is otherwise quite
nondescript.
He has the middle seat
and I have the window
on a flight out of
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
and we are not in an
exit row.
With sandy-colored
hair and mustache he
is wearing an olive-green
suit, a pale green shirt,
and an olive-green tie.
There is a piece of toilet
paper stuck to his chin
where he must have
nicked himself shaving.

"I work at the Post Office,"
he says, "and I'm on my
way to the Halloween
Dead shows in Oakland
but I think I took too
much acid. Can you
help me get to my gate
in Chicago?"

I say yes and he hands
me his ticket, leans back
and closes his eyes.

---

An artist and founding member of art collective the 181, Abby Donovan is faculty in the Department of Art and Design at the University of Delaware.

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