Both of em wanted different things out of life. They could never come to a consensus. Always disagreeing ’bout something. There were so many times that he’d threaten to leave her; he didn’t. It was all just talk, foolish talk. And, she threatened to leave him. Then she’d ply her magic on him and they’d wind up making love ’til the early morning hours only to start arguing again as soon as they were through. It was a vicious cycle.

Neighbors would complain ’bout em. They were the talk of the trailer park. Everybody asking each other, did you hear em last night? Screaming and hollering like they was on some kind of Scottish war march. Hoopin’ and hollerin’ in foriegn tongues. Like animals. Just like wild beasts.

And the boys down at the car wash all asked ’bout her as he spent his days cleaning windows and vaccuuming out bits of food, loose tobacco, soda pop stains, and shit from a baby’s bottom. He’d tell em all she was O.K.. Said there was nothing wrong. Stuck to his story til the very end.

Well, one night things really got out of hand. The old boy went and shot her with a load of buck shot. Told her to keep quiet. She kept on talking til the end. Insulting him, telling him he was no good, a loser, a boy among men.

And he just sat there with the shot gun in his lap til he’d heard enough. Then, boom, right ‘tween the eyes. Blew her face off. Put an end to it once and for all.

Next morning he confessed to the crime. Drove right over to the police station and told em all ’bout it. He said, You know boys, a man can only take so much.