Ju-Ju

"Jesus, man, these are weird times. I used to be doing OK. I dated the daughter of a social scion, a pretty girl. We went to events and high-toned parties. I thought I was something. I didn't concern myself with much other than books and art and travel. Now I work all the time, my girl has left me, I'm getting fat, and my car is a piece of shit. I haven't had air conditioning in it all summer. My house, which was worth a lot. . . well, I couldn't sell it for what I could have if at all. And suddenly, I'm wondering where the money is."

"It's going 'round," I said.

"I just took up with this girl who scares me."

"How's that?"

"She's just different, that's all. Everything she says has an edge to it, like there is some secret meaning. She looks OK, but I always feel like she is up to something. . . shady. When she leaves my house, I imagine that she's going somewhere to sacrifice chickens."

"Christ, you don't have to see her. Why don't you just quit calling her?"

"It's kind of exciting, too. I don't feel like I can really take her around people, you know, but when we are at the house drinking and are alone, I get excited by it."

"Well, the full moon is in a couple of nights. You might want to watch out a little."

"She's already made me aware. She says we're really going to celebrate."

"Tell her to send some money ju-ju your way. Tell her it will make you happy."

"Yes, well, I don't think that's what she has in mind."

He's really going through it. It is affecting him. But I feel that way about a lot of people. Seems like there's just a lot of ju-ju in the air.