Dismantling

He went for the brains first, taking the books down one by one, five by five, in bunches and singles.  Light, thick, thin, heavy, the books fell into boxes.  He traced vessels, connections, neurons bridging to synapses—

Accidental Death of an Anarchist:  Best cover of a small-thin book, orange, with a black-colored bomb.  Good to Great: Bright red cover, bold, and ultimately useless aside from thoughts being provoked; it’s advice not steeped in science.  Bartleby the Scrivener:  Another thin book, it disappeared mildly into the box.  One Hundred Years of Solitude:  Crowded with the 17 Aurelianos, the book will have a second opportunity on earth.  The Prydain Chronicles:  Taran and Elionwy, together again at last.

Records of a floating life, these books traced pathways as far back as middle school for him, fond memories evoking eras, epochs, times long buried under the amber of a lived life.  But that’s not entirely accurate, for books are living things ready to be re-experienced, re-reading a page, a chapter, or the entire book gives forth the new, adding to the rich palimpsest of life.

The books were packed in treasure chests of cardboard and locked away.  The future would hold them, the present will carry them, and the past was the bearer.  Next, he tackled other areas of that great beast, that tri-cellular organism that made up his apartment—

Team Gallaudet:  Davila passing out golden pins, a promise both kept and unkept.  A Man-Bracelet:  Was it Aeropostale, American Eagle?  Banana Republic?  The Gap?  One of those.  Planned Parenthood voided check:  What a beautiful and necessary organization, saving lives literally and metaphorically, with a name that is both an call to action and cautious jab.  Inkjet Labels, 10 pack:  RIT bookstore price tag still affixed, you are our prioRITy, vocational rehabilitation rehabilitating my inkjet.

These small items barely fit in a box that held a checkbook but the room could not contain the memories and thoughts.  But they would have to live in boxes for a little while longer, dormant, until the next thaw or annihilation.