strictly pavlovian

and she shouted

YES, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN

in that exasperated tone that said

please stop being such a complete 

and total fuckwad and start

making me feel like a proper human being

in a way she said

I MEAN SOMETHING 

when she really meant 

I FEEL SOMETHING

and it's all full of life until her throat

goes dry

(or maybe it's from the cigarettes)

but it doesn't even matter because he

talks back like it's his business to, with his

oh, you mean something?

i still don't feel a sense of obligation

and she shouts

always with his smart retorts

and her always with yes

but you know what i mean