He was
ill and numb as if all of his senses were bandaged over in gauze. He
woke up fully, checked his face in the mirror to see that it was still
the same, and washed it. He tried to desist from many thoughts.
Thoughts were pins stabbing him. He turned on the television, muted the
sound, and saw images as the hours of the day became vanquished. Then
Kazem came back early to bring him some food and in so doing he
suspended their mutual reticence briefly.
"I have some food for you," he said in disgust.
"Thanks" Jatupon responded in insolent despondency.
The next day it was the same. Kazem came back briefly with some
food and a new pair of sunglasses for Jatupon's face.
"I have some food for you," he said in disgust.
"Thanks" Jatupon responded in insolent despondency.
"I also have some sunglasses for you" Kazem said in disgust.
"Thanks" Jatupon responded with a surly and begrudging tone of a
nearly mute volume.
He controlled his contempt out of an instinct for self-
preservation. He wanted to keep himself from being bludgeoned with the
sledgehammer of his brother's fist or beaten with the leather skin of
his slaps.
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