The 45th President of the United States of America says he wants to learn how to swim. We drive to Sardis Lake, and I lead him to the water. A snake makes a V in the water and the 45th President reaches out and grabs the snake and the snake coils itself around the 45th President’s forearm. Snakes are not nearly as slimy as they look, the 45th President says. If this snake could talk, I wonder what it would say? The 45th president sets the snake free and it swims away. I wrap my arms around the 45th President’s torso and I float him in the water and I let him go. He flails his arms and his legs but can’t stay afloat. I pull him from the water and drag him onto a boat ramp. His breath is heavy. Beads of water slide down his skin. He begins to cry. I put my arm around his shoulder and pull him close. He smells like sun tan lotion, and I want to tell him I love him. Instead, I say, I believe that snake would say you are not the sum of your failures. The 45th President of the United States smiles and I notice for the first time that his teeth are filed down to points.
Grant Gerald Miller was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He is currently an MFA candidate at the University of Alabama and an assistant editor at Black Warrior Review. His work has appeared or is set to appear in various journals including Hobart, Qu Magazine, Pom Pom Lit, Necessary Fiction, and Nimrod.
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