in the middle of the scene ROxie tries to take a shower. for the first time in a week

,

Roxie attempts to clean roxie attempts to clean Roxie tries at something ? and she’s getting rid of all that patchwork shit 

the smashsmash going nowhere lines around her body pull something fresh, something meatier that is stitched on skin outside into the open open air of the bathroom. —----->this is cleanliness. I know she waits for something similar, but this is it. 

she s smoking before it takes her , and does it take her! a minute! to bend into her stomack and hide her head between her breasts, like flamingo, she’ll tell you that movement must cease. I stand there, like flamingo, like Roxie, who is still! Ceasing! And the botto m of the shower runs warmer , mixes with the sweat above her calves like warmaking. we 

are 

synonymous with warmaking. i like to bend my knees. she likes to watch the cannons fire forward! and forward!

this is pleasurable for more than a moment 

i listen to her teeth cry. I admire the way water brings her pain. I think about the summer, and lavender soap. and i cannot stop watching her wilt against the tiles she is raw in her scrubbing and gentle when she pulls out ribbons of hair to wrap around my eyes this is the first time i am seeing her filthy. 

and , god , i do not let myself touch her while she’s getting

clean. its a phase in itself, you know. One slick body after

another.