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**PRINT: THE2NDHAND’s 31st broadsheet features a short by Portland-by-way-of-Montana writer Aaron Parrett that captures the power and glory of ambivalence after, during, and prior to what the unemployed poet-protagonist comes to clearly see as, if not love, then surely "Tolerance," the story's title. Parrett is the author of The Translunar Narrative in the Western Tradition as well as numerous stories that have been featured in lit mags around the nation. No. 31 also features a piece by Kyle Beachy, author of the newly released novel The Slide, out from Dial Press, and a vanguard discount coupon and special FAQ from the herbal remedies and soap makers at The Left Hand (thelefthand.net).

**WEB: HISTORY WAS ALWAYS A DULL SUBJECT AT KENMORE Daniel Gallik
WHEEL Paul Lask
FORK AND SPOON Lisa Burke
19 WAYS OF SAYING NO TO ASSFUCKING Greg Gerke
SIDES Heather Palmer
TIKI EXPRESS Pitchfork Battalion (Dills, Ballentine, Holmes)
WING & FLY: AMELIA GRAY WINS FC2 PRIZE | Todd Dills
DIVE AND DISMANTLE Kimberly Soenen
HIDEOUS BOUNTY: BLOOD BROTHERS | Andrew Davis
TRADE IMBALANCE / DUMB SETTLEMENT WITH THE FTC David Gianatasio

HISTORY WAS ALWAYS A DULL SUBJECT AT KENMORE
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Daniel Gallik

Ohio writer Gallik has been featured in a wide array of literary publications; for a full accounting, visit his website.

"What is it you want?" Linda said this to Bob, and then excused herself to wash clothes. Bob mosied on down to the garage to fix something. No kids for these two.

DecomP Magazine

Across the street two other couples lived. This part of Kenmore was starting to be called "Childless Alley." None of the couples entertained each other. All had separate lives. Husbands did things. Wives did things. All were individuals doing their own things in their own ways during their own times. All had work. Linda was a barmaid at Herm's Cafe. Bob was one of the last mechanics that worked at an actual gas station over in the downtown area. Mark sold computers. El was into working at the Chuckery at the University of Akron. Joseph was a prognosticator for the Akron Beacon Journal. (He called it the Jerkin Beanol.) And Les was a sous chef at Antoini's Ristorante. All productive, all important members of their communities in northeaster Ohio.

In walks a married man to the neighborhood. Abby Markins was separated from his lovely wife Lindal. Abby liked to talk. He called up Linda and said, "I have a former wife with a name close to yours. She is nice. But she is gone. Can we talk?" Well, of course, Linda was taken aback, but said, "Sure." They would meet at the local B&W and chat over root beers. Very nice, very next-doorish. All four of the other couples saw them coming home from their jobs, saw them talking and sucking on straws. All four were aroused.

Abby kept calling Linda. It got to be cute. Bob knew nothing of this affair. Nothing.

A year passed. Two years passed.

The four saw blatant kissing. Saw the two hug and walk home. Were titillated. Bob worked on his cars. And other projects. Finally, news appeared in the Beacon. Death In Kenmore. Murder. Mouths shut, eyes closed. No one knew what to think. Linda was buried. First there was a service at Akron Baptist Temple. Linda was buried. Folks went home. And the hum of life after a few weeks continued in the neighborhood. Everyone doing what they did. Later, the next year, Bob started to call up one of the ladies, I think it was El, and ask her to have a chili dog with him. El didn't think much of it. Things got going. And there was more to talk about in Kenmore. Much more. Things felt normal again. Things felt right. No one thought about history at all. Yeah, there was no need to watch TV.

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OUR FRIENDS AT The Left Hand make great soap, salves, balms and other natural hygiene-type stuff, in addition to publishing a zine and running a book swap, a performance series and more from their Tuscaloosa, AL, homebase. When they offered to make something for us, we jumped. We introduce THE2NDHAND soap, an olive oil soap with a quadruple dose of Bergamot, "for the readers we've sullied..." Price is $6, ppd.

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