Mental Note by Kendra Banach

Mental Note

by Kendra Banach

I press my bare feet against the window the sun is beating down but the glass is still cold.

My body heat leaves a thin layer of condensation I trace a smiley face in it then wipe my finger vigorously on the inside of my sweater.

I can still feel the phantom sweat germs lingering.

I’ll make a mental note to not eat with, or touch my face with, this hand. Twenty minutes later my lip itches and I use that exact finger to scratch it.

I wipe my lip vigorously on the inner collar of my sweater.

I do not feel clean.

I’ll make a mental note that if I’m deathly ill in the following week it was my own fault.