Him, breathless, handcuffed to the oxygen tank in tow. “Chest pain again,” he recounts, “but it’s mostly gone now.” Her, sitting, head hanging low, toiling hands making the crumpled jacket dance on her lap. She never looks up – could she be that apathetic? Finally, an utterance, a smile, and her extended hand. “Merry Christmas.” An origami Santa.
*Okurimono is a Japanese word meaning “gift.”
Year Created: 2020