man boobs, by Nathaniel Sverlow
I was tired of my man boobs
so I woke up early the next day
and did some pushups
and it was difficult
I managed nearly 50 reps
spread out over 5 sets
and when I was finished
I was breathing heavily
belching uncontrollably
when I stood up I was sore
my chest was sore of course
but also my back
my legs
my ego
I remembered the gym rat
that fit this skin
fifteen years ago
pumping iron for 45 minutes
then running another 30
sometimes in the rain
sometimes in the summer
wearing his heaviest sweater
his cool down was 50 pushups
and it was easy
and his mind wandered
thinking of women
thinking of friends
thinking of the future
I wondered if he ever thought of me
the way I think of him
I wondered if her ever imagined
that one day he would be pushing 40 years old
with insomnia, chronic fatigue, a wine gut,
and man boobs
that hung like a pair of moldy bananas
of course not
and why would he?
then I got up
went to the kitchen
and made breakfast
the day was just beginning
Artwork by Amanda Fry
Work by Nathaniel Sverlow has also appeared in Literary Orphans, Defenestration, Map Literary, Marathon Literary Review, and Black Fox Literary Magazine.