The Blind Man

FOUR

Jae could feel himself wake up, and he laid there for several moments to gather his senses. He slowly sat up in bed and was surprised that Rosie hadn't touched his hand yet. He stood and whispered her name, but nothing happened. He whistled this time and heard her claws tapping against the hard wood floors.

He knelt down and patted her head before slipping her leash on. "Why were you downstairs?" He asked her. Since it had always been just him and Rosie he had gotten into the habit of speaking to her.

He felt her bite his pajama bottoms and try to pull him forward. "Okay, I'm coming."

He grabbed her leash as she took off back downstairs. His nose was immediately filled with the scent of bacon cooking. As he came closer the smell of Tide sliced through the scent of sizzling meet.

"What are you doing?" He asked stepping into the kitchen.

Her voice was cheerful. "I got up early this morning and couldn't fall back asleep, so I decided to come over. I fed Rosie too, but don't worry I didn't touch her."

He sighed knowing already that if he argued with her it would get him no where. He thought about going back up to put a shirt on, but he decided that he really didn't care. This is his house and he can dress the way he wants too at home. However, he couldn't help suddenly feeling self conscious since he hadn't seen his own frame in years.

Taking a deep breath he tried to put it out of his mind. Listening carefully, he could tell Maggie stood to his left at the stove and could hear her shift just a little to lift what sounded to be his egg carton. He could tell the bacon was almost done, and he could hear the grits boiling in the pot.

When she spoke he thought she had been reading his mind. "It'll be done in about five minutes, do you like cheese in your eggs?"

He moved uncomfortably in his seat. "Sure I guess, I don't usually eat it like that, but it'll work."

"Good." She let a beat pass. "How did you sleep?"

"Like most blind people; not good. My back is hurting this morning."

"Do you have back problems?" He was strangely pleased by how her tone sounded interested in the conversation.

As a woman, shouldn't she hate him for what he said yesterday? Didn't most women give a man a week of quiet treatment after a hurtful argument?

"No, I just slept wrong."

"Do you need a massage? I worked as a maseus a few years back."

Her random question made him self conscious again as he sat up straighter. He scratched his bare chest wishing he had gone back up for a shirt.

"I think I'll be alright." He stated.

As the silence settled again, he could almost see through his mind's eye her moving around as he felt her movements through the vibrations in the floor. Moments later she set his plate down in front of him.

"Your eggs are at three, your bacon at six and your grits at ten."

"How did you know?" He questioned.

"Know what?" She asked sitting next to him.

"That I look at the plate as a clock?'

Silence filled the room, and for a moment he thought she wouldn't answer, but her voice finally reached his ears. "I can't remember why I know that. I think my dad was blind."

Her comment confused him, but he didn't feel like asking what she meant, or how she didn't know whether her father was blind or not.

For the rest of the meal they said nothing else and later she started washing the dishes while he went up and got ready for the day. Afterwards he went back down, and out the door for his usual morning walk with Rosie.