Halo Husband
Submitted by Gwen K. Horsley
He is a headless gunman
who shouts profanities at characters
supposedly linked to real people
on a web of pixeled violence
He's online—but sounds insane
If people didn't know he was playing a game
if they didn't notice the 52 inch screen
or the controller and cord plugging him
into his own private matrix
They might think my husband has
Tourettes, schizophrenia, bi-polar, or fits
He screams at the voices in his head
heard over his headset
He can't hear me
when I talk about
my day, what to make for dinner, his children
He can't be bothered by the baby at his knee
"Come get your kid!"
or his six-year old's question
(unless it's about Halo)
I miss his gaze, his playing smile
The game's glow holds his attention now
I sleep alone at night
until he has exhausted the stars,
gunned down all his friends and foe
online
He talks with his sibling and friends
They're all gamers
long-distance, world-wide, for free
Joe in Florida, Craig in Sioux Falls, Ryan in Vegas
or N8IVEGURU69, STIFFLER420, Global Killer 1, REMI3D
They carefully choose their gaming mantles
from movies, fantasies, license plates
whatever is cool and hasn't been taken
by another gamer
in the forum of fantasy killing
I reason with myself
At least he's home
not at the bars, or addicted to drugs, drink, or sex
Ha
It's just a game
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