The Handyman

by Bentley Little

“You talk to anyone in town. Frank Watkins does quality work.”

The truth was that Frank had an unnerving tendency to look at you for too long both before and after he answered a question you’d asked him. It was a disturbing habit, and for some reason, it made me think of an alien trying to be human. There seemed to be an incomprehension in that gaze, a sense that he was attempting to access information that would indicate the proper way to behave, as though he didn’t know how to respond in a human manner. It was a ridiculous idea that I knew made no sense,

Despite everything everyone said about spending “quality time” with kids, I realized that it was “quantity time” that was more important. I never cared what I did with my dad, I just wanted to be with him for as much time as possible.

I have only the Dark Wife now.