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It was the first time I’d had my breath
knocked out, that I could remember.
They sent me home which I didn’t mind a bit.
The next day, John was gone. I tried to tell them
the table had been my fault. His mom came
to talk to the teacher, but she wouldn’t budge.
From then on, I traced my letters alone.
CL Bledsoe is the author of
a dozen books, most recently
the poetry collection Riceland
and the novel Man of Clay.
He lives in northern Virginia
with his daughter.
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