Photo Story: Woman Keeps Dead Husband’s Teeth on the Nightstand

Friday is Mrs. Judson’s, her marble-topped table that refuses to give up its smudges no matter how hard I polish. I used to sing along to my Walkman until someone on the 23 bus made off with my purse. Now I make up my own songs. I sing them on my knees to the walnut baseboards until their shine sings back to me. I sing through lunch, a shot of whiskey I cadge from the liquor Mrs. Judson will never miss. When I clean the bedroom, Mr. Judson smiles up at me from the glass where he’s drowning. He approves.

 

 

 

Sarah Freligh is the author of Sad Math and winner of the 2014 Moon City Press Poetry Prize. Recent work has appeared in Cincinnati Review, SmokeLong Quarterly, and in the anthology New Microfiction: Exceptionally Short Stories (W.W. Norton, 2018).

Photo Credit: Jim Sneddon

13 Responses to “Photo Story: Woman Keeps Dead Husband’s Teeth on the Nightstand”

  1. Cody says:

    I thought I’d read all your stories on this site, but I missed this one. Absolutely love the title. Go Bills and go Sarah.

  2. Beth Myers says:

    This is it. Have to share this with my students. Another perfect piece.

  3. Elaine McKay says:

    This is so good. Love it.

  4. paul beckman says:

    Love this story and this line ” Mr. Judson smiles up at me from the glass where he’s drowning.”

  5. Patricia Ryan says:

    Love it! So many layers in so few words.

  6. Kathryn Kulpa says:

    Creepy and funny! The best combo.

  7. Jayne Martin says:

    Wonderful!!

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