Bringing Up Bonjo
By Linda Seton
Chloe rubs her eyes as Lex strolls back to her with the leashed leopard.
He grins. "See how easy that was?"
Chloe stares down at the leopard. Eyes glazed from the sleeping pills, the leopard purrs happily in a drug-induced euphoria. A relieved Chloe sags down a little. "I think the sleeping pills I fed it must have taken effect."
"You doped my leopard?"
"Your leopard? I was pretty sure it was going to eat me. I shoved some sleeping pills into a chocolate bar. And when did it become your leopard?" Chloe's voice cracks.
"When I put a leash on it." Lex shakes his head at her failure to keep up with his logic. "I think I'm starting to understand, now."
Tugging the leopard in the direction of the castle, Lex resumes walking. Chloe follows him not sure of what is real and what might be the effects of a blow to the head.
"What do you understand, Lex?"
"The leopard is the masculine. The animus. The aggressive in me."
"I think it's a girl leopard." Chloe offers as she falls a few steps behind.
"Whatever. The women I encounter are always duplicitous. They try to use me. To trick me into believing they love me, metaphorically, their love is the chocolate covering the sleeping pills. Victoria said she loved me and then tried to steal my business. Desiree said she loved me and then tried to kill me. Same with Helen."
"Helen tried to kill you?"
"Yes, of course." Lex turns on her. "Why are you walking behind me?"
"I'm really tired, Lex, and I'm a little leery of the cat."
"Right. I think I'd rather have you beside me where I can see you more easily." Lex slows allowing her to catch up.
"You think I want to kill you?"
Lex does not answer. As the two walk in silence, Lex looks her up and down; Chloe pulls her torn jacket tight around her.
He finally speaks, "It's strange that my brain chose you to represent all things feminine. If my conscious mind were doing the choosing I would have picked someone taller and darker."
"Sorry." Chloe veers off a little to avoid the staggering leopard.
"It's not like you've participated in that many of my sexual fantasies..."
The leopard collapses to the ground and begins to roll around on the grass. Lex seems mesmerized by the sinuous motion.
Chloe hesitates and then carefully touches his arm. "Lex, are you real?"
"I'm real, but you, I'm afraid, are not."
"Lex, I am real. It's me, Chloe. I'm standing right here in front of you." She squeezes his arm. "See?"
"No, you're not. If you were real would I do this?"
He pinches her hard on the ass.
She staggers back a little dumbfounded. "First you're fantasizing and now you're pinching. Just stay there with your damned cat!"
"Are you telling me I should turn my anger and aggression inward? Channel it? Use that energy for something other than feeling sorry for myself?"
"No, I'm telling you to stay over there with the man-eater."
"That's true isn't it?" Lex pulls the cat to its feet. "It consumes men. That by bottling up all my anger I stand a very good chance of destroying myself. It's all about balance isn't it?" Lex kneels and loosens the leash from the leopard's neck.
"Lex, what are you doing?" Chloe stumbles back.
"Trying to find a balance. Anima and animus. Which is stronger?" Lex smiles at Chloe. He raises his belt and whacks the leopard on the haunches.
Still fairly drugged, the cat gives him a quizzical look and then focuses its attention on Chloe. The leopard slides past Lex and bounds after the girl.
Chloe runs for all she's worth.
tbc
By Linda Seton
Chloe rubs her eyes as Lex strolls back to her with the leashed leopard.
He grins. "See how easy that was?"
Chloe stares down at the leopard. Eyes glazed from the sleeping pills, the leopard purrs happily in a drug-induced euphoria. A relieved Chloe sags down a little. "I think the sleeping pills I fed it must have taken effect."
"You doped my leopard?"
"Your leopard? I was pretty sure it was going to eat me. I shoved some sleeping pills into a chocolate bar. And when did it become your leopard?" Chloe's voice cracks.
"When I put a leash on it." Lex shakes his head at her failure to keep up with his logic. "I think I'm starting to understand, now."
Tugging the leopard in the direction of the castle, Lex resumes walking. Chloe follows him not sure of what is real and what might be the effects of a blow to the head.
"What do you understand, Lex?"
"The leopard is the masculine. The animus. The aggressive in me."
"I think it's a girl leopard." Chloe offers as she falls a few steps behind.
"Whatever. The women I encounter are always duplicitous. They try to use me. To trick me into believing they love me, metaphorically, their love is the chocolate covering the sleeping pills. Victoria said she loved me and then tried to steal my business. Desiree said she loved me and then tried to kill me. Same with Helen."
"Helen tried to kill you?"
"Yes, of course." Lex turns on her. "Why are you walking behind me?"
"I'm really tired, Lex, and I'm a little leery of the cat."
"Right. I think I'd rather have you beside me where I can see you more easily." Lex slows allowing her to catch up.
"You think I want to kill you?"
Lex does not answer. As the two walk in silence, Lex looks her up and down; Chloe pulls her torn jacket tight around her.
He finally speaks, "It's strange that my brain chose you to represent all things feminine. If my conscious mind were doing the choosing I would have picked someone taller and darker."
"Sorry." Chloe veers off a little to avoid the staggering leopard.
"It's not like you've participated in that many of my sexual fantasies..."
The leopard collapses to the ground and begins to roll around on the grass. Lex seems mesmerized by the sinuous motion.
Chloe hesitates and then carefully touches his arm. "Lex, are you real?"
"I'm real, but you, I'm afraid, are not."
"Lex, I am real. It's me, Chloe. I'm standing right here in front of you." She squeezes his arm. "See?"
"No, you're not. If you were real would I do this?"
He pinches her hard on the ass.
She staggers back a little dumbfounded. "First you're fantasizing and now you're pinching. Just stay there with your damned cat!"
"Are you telling me I should turn my anger and aggression inward? Channel it? Use that energy for something other than feeling sorry for myself?"
"No, I'm telling you to stay over there with the man-eater."
"That's true isn't it?" Lex pulls the cat to its feet. "It consumes men. That by bottling up all my anger I stand a very good chance of destroying myself. It's all about balance isn't it?" Lex kneels and loosens the leash from the leopard's neck.
"Lex, what are you doing?" Chloe stumbles back.
"Trying to find a balance. Anima and animus. Which is stronger?" Lex smiles at Chloe. He raises his belt and whacks the leopard on the haunches.
Still fairly drugged, the cat gives him a quizzical look and then focuses its attention on Chloe. The leopard slides past Lex and bounds after the girl.
Chloe runs for all she's worth.
tbc