Circa Middle West

Artist: Rob Vogt

Outside, winter winds howl across flattened fields of frozen earth. Inside, we perch ourselves on bony bleachers, our elbows touching and alive with electricity. Our civics teacher prowls the sideline, barking at five sweaty ectomorphs, each one aching to escape the free throw lane’s congestion, to stretch out his coltish legs and sprint the floor for a limber-limbed lay-up. A jump shot arches toward the ceiling, its parabola hopeful, its exterior orange and pebbled and back-spinning. Finally it churns through the net, warming the air against the winds outside and protecting us from whatever it is that happens next.

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