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EXCERPT
TIMOTHY WILLIS SANDERS


from MATT MEETS VIK


7


Matt looked through the glass wall. He saw runway and sky. He looked at Vik and imagined saying, "Look at the sky."
white Matt looked through the wall and saw a plane take off. He read Aeropuerto and thought, "air-poo-air-toe." He looked at the counter and saw the policeman reading a man's passport. He thought, "It'll be fine."
white Matt patted his back pocket and pictured his wallet. He touched his front pocket and pictured his Nokia 5160. He remembered Vik saying "You won't need it," and pressing her palm at him. He looked at Vik and thought, "But I could play Snake right now." He looked at the couple next to Vik. He saw a bald spot on the man's head. He saw freckles on the woman's chest.
white Matt saw Vik step towards the counter. He stepped behind her and stared at the man's bald spot. He thought, "Mexican 9/11," and glanced at the freckles on the woman's chest.
white Matt said, "What if I need a passport? Because of 9/11?"
white Vik said, "We talked about this," and stared at the policeman.
white Matt remembered widening his eyes at Vik and saying, "What if it's too late?" He remembered Vik saying, "It's ok, I checked online" and him saying, "What site? It might've changed." He remembered thinking, "Karl Rove," and seeing Vik turn away.
white Matt stepped forward and glanced at the man's bald spot. He heard the man say, "What the hell is taking so long?" in a low voice. He saw Vik watching a plane land. He thought, "That's the plane I'll fly back on." He patted his back pocket and took out his wallet. He looked at his driver's license and read the date. He thought, "Expired. Osama bin Mexico."
white Matt stepped forward and glanced at the man's bald spot. He imagined the man with the bald spot running to the counter and punching the policeman. He looked at the counter and saw the policeman open a passport. He saw the policeman point and say something in Spanish. He imagined Vik getting into a taxi with the policeman. He pictured eight cops tackling the man with the bald spot. He imagined the police using advanced technology to read his thoughts.
white Matt thought, "God...chill. Talk to Vik."
white Matt thought, "Nothing to say," and said, "Can't wait to get a drink."
white Vik said, "I know, me too."
white Matt saw Vik hand the policeman her passport. He watched the policeman open the passport. He watched the policeman hand the passport to Vik. He saw the policeman wave Vik away. He stepped forward and handed his driver's license to the policeman. He watched the policeman read his driver's license. Matt saw the policeman hand the driver's license back and nod his head.


*


Matt opened the bus window. He blinked in the wind. He saw trees and highway signs in Spanish. He saw cars and houses. He thought, "People live here. Everyday, ocean." He looked at Vik and watched her brush hair from her face.
white Matt placed his hand on her hand and stared at palm trees. He sniffed and thought, "Sonic Ocean Water slushy." He looked towards the driver to see the ocean. He saw the driver and the road. He looked at the houses. He saw a man walking with a yellow bucket. He saw four seagulls flying over and swaying palm trees. He pictured typing Live in Cozumel in Yahoo Search. He imagined working for a newspaper or teaching English.
white Matt read Gold and Xanax on a storefront window. He turned to the opposite window and saw the ocean. He looked at the ocean and thought, "That's why people write poetry about the sea. Look at it."
white Matt saw a white yacht docked near the beach. He stared at a helicopter parked on the yacht. He imagined wearing big headphones and flying the helicopter over the island.
white Matt saw trees and bushes. He thought, "Jungle Fever," and stared into the bushes. He sensed the bus slow down. He looked out the opposite window and read Fiesta Americana in yellow letters.
white Matt stepped off the bus and looked at the hotel. He saw long cracks in the hotel's turquoise walls. He saw the bus driver kneel and open a panel under the bus. He watched the bus driver take out their luggage. He saw Vik lift her suitcase handle and walk to hotel door. He waved at the bus driver and lifted his suitcase handle. He walked to the door and saw a lizard near the bushes. He watched the lizard's mouth open and close. He opened and closed his mouth with the lizard.
white Matt collided with Vik and said, "Oh."
white He closed his mouth and opened the door for Vik.
white Vik said, "Thanks."


*


Matt took off his boxer briefs and looked at his stomach in the mirror. He turned and looked at his buttocks. He looked at his back and scratched at the blemish. He watched dead skin collect around the blemish. He swept away the dead skin with his finger. He faced the mirror and thought, "You're here. Just have fun."
white Matt slid his legs into his swimming trunks. He opened the bathroom door and saw Montel Williams on TV. He heard someone say, "Be a man to your kids," and an audience cheer.
white Matt stared at the TV and said, "It's in English."
white Vik said, "It's an American show."
white Matt said, "I know. But how..." and leaned closer to the TV.
white Matt said, "How do Mexicans understand it?"
white Vik said, "They understand English."
white Matt said, "Hm," and looked out the balcony window. He saw a family walking with bags and towels. He looked at the TV. He saw a fat woman say, "He ain't right!" and a skinny man frown. He looked at Vik and thought, "You can watch TV at home."
white Matt looked at the TV and said, "We going to the beach?"
white Vik said, "You go ahead. I need a nap."
white Matt thought, "You can nap on the beach," and said, "I can stay here with you."
white Vik said, "No, you go. I'll be down soon."
white Matt walked to the bathroom and draped a towel around his neck. He took the room key from the dresser and walked to the door. He gripped the doorknob and looked back at Vik. He saw her turn off the TV and close her eyes. He opened the door.
white Matt walked through the courtyard. He looked at the cracks in the turquoise walls. He looked at the beach and saw a waiter walking towards the family. He saw yellow and red drinks on the waiter's tray.
white Matt pictured Vik asleep and thought, "I love her. I do."
white Matt walked on the sand and sang, Walking on Sun-shine. He looked at the hotel and tried to locate their room. He thought, "How long," and walked towards the ocean. He squinted at the ocean and pictured his Nokia 5160. He thought, "I need it now too. Forgot my book," and laid out his towel. He sat on the towel and squinted at the ocean. He watched the waves and imagined playing Snake.


*


Matt stared at the orange behind his eyelids. He saw the orange deepen and opened his eyes. He saw Vik standing over him.
white Vik said, "Hey, did you put on sunscreen?" and dropped a tube in the sand.
white Matt said, "I don't need it. Don't get sunburns," and pointed to his arm.
white Vik said, "Okay, whatever. This is nice."
white Matt thought, "Did you sleep ok?"
white Matt said, "I know. First time I've seen the ocean."
white Vik said, "I think that's Cancun," and pointed to land on the horizon.
white Matt squinted and saw land on the horizon. He imagined wet t-shirt contests and college kids covered in foam.
white Matt said, "I didn't even see that."
white Matt saw Vik set her bag and towel on the sand. He looked at her bag.
white Matt said, "Is my book in there?" and pointed to the bag.
white Matt heard Vik say, "Hola," to someone behind him. He turned and saw the waiter.
white Matt thought, "You didn't come when it was just me." He looked at Vik and said, "We should get Piña Coladas."
white Matt heard Vik say, "Two Piña coladas, por favor," and saw a bruise on her thigh.
white Matt thought, "Peen-ya ko-lah-da" and looked at the bruise.
white Matt said, "What happened?" and pointed to her thigh.
white Matt saw Vik press her legs together. He turned and watched the waiter walk towards a small hut. He glanced at Vik's legs and looked at her face.
white Vik said, "I hit it against the sink. In the bathroom. On the plane."
white Matt pictured her cringing and kneeling in the airplane bathroom.
white Matt thought, "You didn't say anything," and said, "I'm sorry. You're not limping so that's good."
white Matt saw her nod and open the bag. She handed Matt the book. He looked at the book cover and read Who Do You Think You Are? in white letters.
white Matt imagined Alice Munro in a garden. He thought, "Hallmark Channel. Soft focus." He looked at Vik and watched her rub sunscreen on her skin.
white Matt thought, "Paradise, Alice, Vik, ocean," and pictured a Corona commercial. He heard a boy say, "Snorkels!" He turned and saw the boy jumping and waving his arms.
white Matt heard "Piña colada?" He saw the waiter smile and hand Vik a Piña Colada.
white Vik said, "Gracias."
white Matt glanced at her bruise and thought, "Damn, purple and black." He took his Piña Colada from the waiter and said, "Thanks."
white Matt drank his Piña Colada and stared at Cancun.
white Matt said, "Think you can swim all the way there?" and pointed to Cancun.
white Vik said, "Sure."
white Matt thought, "Right" and said, "All that way?"
white Vik said, "If I trained."
white Matt said, "Really?"
white Vik said, "I trained a lot when I was younger. My dad wanted me to be a swimmer or a tennis star."
white Matt said, "Like Sharapova."
white Vik looked at Matt and said, "Except Czech."
white Matt said, "Sharapova is Russian?"
white Matt saw Vik nod and open Vogue magazine. He imagined Vik's legs kicking underwater and sharks smelling her bruise. He imagined diving from the helicopter to save her from sharks.
white Matt glanced at Cancun and sipped his Piña Colada. He heard "Snorkelersss!" He saw the boy running with a snorkel and goggles. He looked at the hut and read Snorkels in blue letters.
white Matt said, "Should we swim?"
white Vik said, "After our drinks."


*


Matt read Return Here and dropped their snorkels and goggles in a bucket. He walked back to the room. He remembered seeing silver fish and a big shadow under the reef's edge. He remembered staring at the shadow and walking backwards to the beach. He opened the door and saw Vik watching TV.
white Matt said, "Hey." He walked into the bathroom. He turned on the shower. He took off his swimming trunks and looked at his back in the mirror. He looked for the blemish and the blemish was gone. He thought, "I'm going to live," and stepped in the shower.
white Matt sensed his skin burning and said, "Shit! Shit! Shit!" He heard Vik laugh.
white Matt looked at the door and said, "Damn, that's fucked up. First sunburn."
white Matt turned on the cold water and stepped in the shower. He rubbed soap on his skin and said, "Fuck, that hurt."
white Matt looked at the soap on his penis and thought, "I wonder if we'll have sex." He rinsed his body and turned off the shower. He dried himself and brushed his teeth. He wrapped a towel around his waist and opened the door.
white Matt sat on the bed and saw Vik move towards him.
white Vik said, "Aw, baby's first sunburn," and rubbed his chest.
white Matt smiled and kissed Vik. He sensed her hand on his penis. He thought, "Okay, C'mon..." and put his tongue in her mouth.
white Matt saw Vik move her face to his neck. He watched her kiss his chest and navel. He closed his eyes and sensed her mouth on his penis. He thought, "Oh, man, no...something is wrong with me," and pictured the fat woman on TV saying, "He ain't right!" He watched Vik stroke his penis. He thought, "I could just eat her out, but..." and pictured her bruise. He blinked and thought, "Something's wrong."
white Matt saw Vik sit up and look at him. He watched her lay down with her back to him.
white Matt looked at her shoulder and said, "Hey."
white Vik said, "I'm tired now."
white Matt said, "We can keep...it's okay...I can..."
white Matt stared at her shoulder. He said, "What's wrong, I mean," and imagined throwing the TV off the balcony. He heard himself sob and turned his back to Vik.
white Vik turned and said, "Are you crying?"
white Matt said, "I just think, you're going to find someone else," into the pillow. He imagined setting fire to himself and the hotel burning down.
white Vik said, "I don't want to be with anyone else."
white Matt relaxed his face and looked at the wall.
white Matt said, "I'm sorry. I get weird. My head is nuts."
white Matt sensed her arm across his chest and thought, "I'm such a bitch."


*


Matt looked at the sunset. He thought, "Postcards." He looked at Vik and saw sweat on her forehead. He stabbed his lobster and thought, "tiny ass fork." He looked at Vik's plate and saw asparagus and red potato wedges. He watched her nudge a potato wedge with her fork.
white Matt stared at the sweat on her forehead and said, "Are you ok?"
white Vik said, "Stop it. Stop asking me if I'm ok."
white Matt stabbed his lobster and said, "Okay, okay..."
white Matt thought, "Just fucking asked," and put lobster in his mouth. He chewed and looked at the sunset. He remembered Vik using a Discover card to rent a moped. He remembered crashing the moped in a ditch. He remembered laying in the ditch and laughing with Vik. He thought, "She was fine then," and looked at the sweat on her forehead.
white Vik said, "I'm sick, I think."
white Matt said, "Is it the lobster?" and thought, "No sex for me."
white Vik said, "I don't know," and moved a potato wedge.
white Matt looked at her potato wedges and thought, "I could eat that."
white Vik said, "I'm going to go lay down."
white Matt said, "Okay, I'll be up soon."
white Matt watched Vik walk to the stairs. He thought, "So dumb," and pictured his Nokia 5160. He looked at the red potato wedges. He glanced at the sunset and put a potato wedge in his mouth.