[patched] - John Persons Pool Party

“It’s a pool party,” John said. “People swim.”

John thought about saying yes. He thought about saying no. He thought about telling her the truth: that he had been underwater for two years now, and that the surface was getting harder and harder to reach.

John walked to the edge of the pool. The water was still now, smooth as glass, reflecting the first stars. He thought about the word foreclosure . He thought about the word liquidity . He thought about the word person , which was his last name and also his condition—the state of being a single, fragile thing in a world that did not care about fragility. john persons pool party

He did not swim. He did not float. He walked to the deep end and stood there, chest-deep, and looked up at the sky. The stars were small and distant and utterly indifferent.

“Smart,” said Mark. “You have to strike while the iron is hot.” “It’s a pool party,” John said

“That’s great,” John said.

“I came because Linda called me,” Priya said. “She’s scared, John. She thinks you’re going to do something stupid.” He thought about telling her the truth: that

“I’m not going to drown myself in my own pool, Priya.”