At night lying naked on my bed, age eleven or twelve, breeze through the window screen cooling on my skin. Branches and leaves moving. Crickets and mosquitoes. Bats clicking. Taking the screen off, climbing outside, feet on rocks lining the house. Lights from passing cars on the road. Crouching, thinking, what if they saw? Stars and moon and shadows. The Whites’ house next door. Wanting to see Mrs. White naked. (Once, me taking care of their cats, she left thigh-high stockings on their bed—why?) Wet backyard grass sticking to ankles. From under trees to open space, running cold and awake.
John Yohe is a fire lookout. Best of the Net nominee times two. Notable Essay list for Best American Essays 2021, 2022, and 2023. www.johnyohe.weebly.com X: @thejohnyohe