Stanley

Yesterday evening I finished
with my imaginary boyfriend.
He knew what I was going to say
before I said it which was top of my list
of reasons why we should end it.
My other reasons were as follows:
he always does exactly what I tell him;
nothing in our relationship has ever surprised me;
he has no second name.
He took it very well
all things considered.
He told me I was to think of him
as a friend and if I ever need him
I know where he is.

from Furniture (Picador, 2009), © Lorraine Mariner 2009, used by permission of the author and the publisher.

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