I've come by, she says, to tell you br that this is it. I'm not kidding, it's br over. this is it. br I sit on the couch watching her arrange br her long red hair before my bedroom br mirror. br she pulls her hair up and br piles it on top of her head- br she lets her eyes look at br my eyes- br then she drops her hair and br lets it fall down in front of her face. br we go to bed and I hold her br speechlessly from the back br my arm around her neck br I touch her wrists and hands br feel up to br her elbows br no further. br she gets up. br this is it, she says, br this will do. well, br I'm going. br I get up and walk her br to the door br just as she leaves br she says, br I want you to buy me br some high-heeled shoes br with tall thin spikes, br black high-heeled shoes. br no, I want them br red. br I watch her walk down the cement walk br under the trees br she walks all right and br as the pointsettas drip in the sun br I close the door.