shifted dinner

two of us preparing dinner in a small kitchen, listening to sinister john cage, not speaking a word. me chopping salad, he walks to the windowsill, takes 3 yellow balls, juggles by the doorstep, puts the balls back on the windowsill, stirs boiling dumplings in the pot. the dumplings need to be drained. john cage is hovering in the room, ghostly. i take a towel, reach for the pot, start to pour the water into the sink, it feels hot, i wonder if the towel is on fire, the towel is on fire, i put the pot back on the stove, throw the towel into the sink, put off the flames. standing, watching. set plates on the table, both of us take dumplings and salad, still not speaking a word, music.