the phone rang in the middle of the night
her bossy tone was a hammer between my eyes
complaining nagging
she would see to it i was no longer employed if she had breath
my defenses were lack luster, stumbling, sputtering
trying to explain i work hard during work hours but the night time is my time and they wouldn't own me on the evenings and weekends that i needed to do my real work.

anticipating support i went off in search of my boss
in a haunted maze of white barn doors or bathroom stalls and laundry machines
turning and shadowy
the last one on the right swings open and a lady in white lurches out toward me
proffering fright but i knew it was coming
i swung her to the ground and knelt on her elbows yelling wait wait i knew that was coming
i had a dream of this very thing just moments ago
she laughed