Tonight,
While Spike
Sat in the
Living room,
Watching
T.V.
The Buffybot said,
"I am a good sister.
I will make
Dinner for you."
And like, 'cause
Willow and Tara
Were
like, out
Doing Wicca
And all that stuff,
You said
"O.K."
But before you
Could stop it
While cooking
Hot
dogs,
The 'bot
Stuck its hand
In the boiling
water,
Fished them out,
And dumped
Them down
The
disposal
Before pouring
The water
Into a mug and
Handing
it
To you.
"Enjoy your soup!"
It chirped-
All
shiny
Happy plastic.
You started
Bawling;
Not because
You
wanted
Hot dogs
But because
On mom's
Book club nights,
Dad would boil
Hot dogs,
And let you
Drink the water.
After he left,
Mom let you
Do the same;
She knew
You missed him.
Later Buffy
Did too...
So what if it's
Little
kid's stuff?
And now…
…this thing…
That looks…
…like
your
Sister…
Has made you
Hot dog soup…
T.V.
forgotten,
Spike charges
Out of the
Living
room,
Snarling
"What the
'ell's goin' on
In
'ere?"
The 'bot
Twinkles
At him,
"I made
soup
For my sister.
Soup is nutritious
And deli…"
Spike
almost
But doesn't
Quite
Hit it,
Yelling,
"Go
upstairs!"
The thing
That looks like
Your sister
Cocks
its head.
"Go upstairs!"
Spike yells
again,
Adding,
"Now!"
The thing
That
looks
Like your
Sister
About-faces
In mom's apron and
Stiffly marches
Upstairs.
Head down
Spike stands
In
the kitchen,
Hands clenching
And unclenching
For a long
time
Before going
Back into
The living room
And throwing
Himself
Onto the couch
In front of the T.V.,
Leaving you
to
Cry into
Your
Hot dog soup.
