Curdled cream in coffee. A mass floats on top of the liquid. Looks like a map of North America. Actually, the curdled cream looks more like Russia. Not the former Soviet Union with it’s attachments. Just Russia in it’s current state. One mass of white.

It’s separating now. Going in different directions. He takes a drink. The flaky white substance sticks to the side of the cup. A John Deere coffee mug with tractors on both sides. He’s got the complete collection; mugs, plates, silverware, bowls. Each with the tractor on it. Inside the cup is the John Deere logo. A yellow deer with a green background and the words, John Deere. It’s getting close to the bottom.

Open blinds let in sunlight. The room where he sits is quite warm. August has begun. The fat man looks outside at a park across the street. No one is there. No children playing on the swingset or slides. No teenage boys playing basketball. Just an empty park. His coffee is growing cold.

He looks at candy wrapers on his desk. Fun size Snickers and Butterfinger. He tries to scrape off tiny bits of chocolate on the silver insides. Fatty licks his fingers and takes a sip of coffee. Rarely does he throw anything away. Candy wrappers, cigars and books pile up on his desk that has been in his family for years. His grandfather made it out of cherry wood. It has drawers and side shelves. Kind of in the Shaker style. He runs his fingers over the smooth top. Dusty.

Fat man opens up Moby Dick which is lying on top of Tropic of Capricorn. Takes the last drop of coffee and sits the mug down on the desk. He begins to read the first paragraph. Then realizes this is a monumental task. He places the classic atop bills and a post card advertisement of Russ Meyer’s film, Motor Psycho. Pictures of cleavage and motorcycle riders. A man with a gun. An Amazon woman leaning on a car in a bikini. He can hear her now. Saying, Go daddy go. He tosses it to the side. Takes his mug into the kitchen and washes it. He then starts his day.