i let out a sigh and said Next

i let the dog

jump

off the bed once

using my

back

as a stepstool.

his nails

dug into my skin,

ripping

open a long scratch

that bled

in the shower.

a day

later the wife looked

at it

and asked me

who she was.

who was i sleeping with?

i'll be sleeping in the other

room, she said,

until you confess

and i know the truth,

and even then, i think

it's over.

she slammed the door

and left.

i looked

at the dog

at the foot of the bed,

shrugging

his shoulders then burrowing

under

the covers

to curl into a warm ball.

oh well, i sighed.

next.