Ma and Barney by Eric Richer
from MOTHER: a PUNK NOIR Magazine series
Ma and Barney
by
Eric Richer
Day is fading.
I’m still looking for her.
For an hour, I wander around the city, biting my nails.
A shout to my right and suddenly I spot her in the park, rolling in the grass with Barney. Just as I am about to start complaining, a guy approaches her to offer his help. No thanks, we’re fine, sir, she says. Then he asks her if she’s homeless. Well, even if I don’t have any money on me, I’m not a bum, you know. Do you mean I need an haircut? Barney, stop it, that’s enough! Here, your ball. Fetch!
The guy leaves without saying anything, baffled, still looking at her.
I imagine this is the first time he’s seen a woman having fun with her ghost dog.
I wait until they’re done playing to go get her. Damn, Ma, have you seen the time?
I can’t help it, sweetheart, Barney wanted to go for a walk, she says as I pick her up, her dress soaked. Then the streetlights come on in unison, as if to keep us from walking home in the dark, and I pick up the ball from the grass as we leave.
Bio:
Eric Richer was born in France in 1971. He grew up with 7 dogs, read a lot, studied cinema, worked in movie theaters as a projectionist and went to Japan. There he made a documentary (Kamo River), came back, returned in the darkness of the projection booths and started writing. His first two novels, La Rouille (The Rust, 2018) and Tiger (2021) were published by L’Ogre Editions. He is currently working hard on the next ones.
Eric, always, always pulls at your heart. Wonderful story. Thank you.