A Beautiful Truth by Colin McAdam

hadn’t heard the night before.
    In the woods at night he could see no farther than a boy could. Two white-tailed deer had seen his blue pyjamas coming long before he might have seen them run. Looee’s nose wasn’t sensitive enough to smell their timid spoor, his hands and feet were dull and dumb compared to those of the raccoons that mapped those woods with constant touching and probes. He heard sounds in the dark, and throughout the state and country was a generation of people either supporting or reviling the superstitions of others. The sounds in the dark made Looee think of the drain in the upstairs bathroom, the drain that made him scream for reasons Walt and Judy could never understand. Looee feared that if he didn’t move quickly he would be swallowed by a drain.
    There are leopards in the memory of every ape, leopards we’ve never seen. Some look like dragons and some look like drains.
    Mr. Wiley was sitting on his porch in the dark with his shotgun across his lap. Last night his kitchen was taken apart by a bear or some hippie desperate for beer.
    Looee came to the outer edge of the woods with the mind of a four-year-old boy, the coordination and strength of an eighteen-year-old, a throat, tongue and teeth that could never form consonants, and even if he was able to speak he could never tell those deer how deep those woods can look in daylight. And thedeer could never tell Judy that the soft blue pyjamas she bought her boy were actually fierce and electric and the world was a long horizon of threats.
    Mr. Wiley will kill that bear or hippie.
    He’s not too old to get angry.
    He was staring at the distant road thinking if it’s a man he’ll come from there. He figured if it had been a bear that came into the kitchen, why would it have taken the beer and not the chicken. And what kind of a bear opens and closes the front door without leaving a scratchmark or two. What kind of a man would come into the home he bought for his retirement and not respect the fact that he would offer food to anyone in need.
    He didn’t want to kill someone, but he’ll shoot. He will stand tall and fire.
    Looee came out of the woods unfrightened, thinking there are no locks on that fridge. He walked across the lawn.
    Mr. Wiley saw a bear coming out of the woods wearing a grey garment. He had enough time to think that he might be getting cataracts again and of course the bear isn’t clothed; enough time to think that’s a smallish bear and mother won’t be far behind.
    A bear, he could shoot without regret.
    He stood taller and Looee saw him.
    Jesus Christ what is that.
    Mr. Wiley thought he was looking at a nightmare, a perverted little outcast, half-bear, half-man, and he was hot with pity and terror.
    He aimed squarely at Looee.
    Peace is a result of curiosity, when one ape wonders about another.
    Mr. Wiley got down on his knees and said Christ it’s the neighbour’s little gorilla.
    He wished his wife were awake.
    Looee kissed his hand and put his arm around his waist and tried to get him moving towards the fridge. And Mr. Wiley had no idea what to do.
    So how do I … You’re wearing some pyjamas on yourself.
    Looee was making his I like you I’m excited noises and stayed still for a moment while he pissed in his pyjamas, calmed by what we would call the kind and curious shyness about the eyes of Mr. Wiley.
    And now he would get what he wanted.
    He urged Mr. Wiley towards the door with his hand on his lower back.
    Okay okay.
    Mr. Wiley felt as though an excited friend was saying I want to show you something. He opened the door and Looee took his hand and pulled him towards the fridge. Mr. Wiley couldn’t help but smile and think that really is a hand.
    Looee was grunting and making excited noises.
    I guess you know the place pretty well.
    He watched Looee look for things in the fridge. Whenever he wanted something he looked up at Mr. Wiley as though he were asking.
    You want the sour cream. Go ahead. I like it on