By Nathaniel Lachenmeyer
I am sorry but I have decided to do absolutely nothing save breathe today you will not find me doing chores nor will I watch the boob tube no today I have reserved only for breathing the fact is I don’t do enough of it some days entire hours go by before I breathe once last month after receiving bad news of a personal nature remember I forgot to breathe for three days straight and I don’t know if you know this but whenever we argue I also sometimes forget to breathe I know I told you once my chest can start to hurt too and you said better go to the doctor but apparently it isn’t a heart attack it’s stress the doctor said I have too much of it which is also why I think I forget to breathe so today I have set aside for breathing if I breathe today the whole day not just parts of it but the entire day from start to finish starting now because I’m pretty sure I already forgot to breathe a few times today mostly during that talk we had over breakfast which according to you was not an argument but a discussion although it seemed like one to me maybe then it will become a habit again the way it was when I was a kid when it was effortless to breathe and to do so many things but I will start with breathing if I get that down maybe I can move on to other things like laughter and sleeping through the night again and what about playing games I miss that I think more than I realize but I will start with breathing that is the first step which is why I have decided to do absolutely nothing maybe then I will be able to survive the next twenty years together save breathe starting now since I think I also forgot to breathe while thinking about this

Still by Denver Boxleitner
About the Author
Nathaniel Lachenmeyer is a disabled author of books for children and adults. His first book, The Outsider, which takes as its subject his late father's struggles with schizophrenia and homelessness, was published by Broadway Books. Nathaniel has forthcoming/recently published poems, stories and essays with ANMLY, Subtropics, The American Poetry Review, Poetry International Online, The Louisville Review, North Dakota Quarterly, Red Rock Review, Reed Magazine, Blue Unicorn, Potomac Review, Permafrost and DIAGRAM. Nathaniel lives outside Atlanta with his family.
About the Artist
Denver Boxleitner is a university fine arts student whose art, fiction and poetry have been published.