Crusty and Jake

Author: Mary Oster

Author Affiliation: University of Virginia

VJM Spring Edition 2026

https://doi.org/10.18130/rc48-db90

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Last month he built a deck.

Perfectly squared edges that he designed himself.

He never became violent.

Just strange—

Taking off his shirt, throwing food for fun

Name. Month. Year. Correct.

“Why are you here?”

To take back the thing.

Suspicious with darting eyes.

“What thing?”

The one that was stolen.

Guarded hands turning it over under the blanket.

“Can you show me?”

Yes.

Pulling out—slowly—a dinosaur fidget toy.

Stifling a laugh while his daughter breaks down.

Crumpled proteins perfected his comedic timing.

Creutzfeldt and Jakob: perfect cat names.