CHEESEBURGER

TWENTY FOUR YEARS OLD. I LIVE IN THE AMERICAN GARDEN BUILDINGS ON WEST EIGHTY-FIRST STREET, ON THE ELEVENTH FLOOR TOM CRUISE LIVES IN THE PENTHOUSE. I BELIEVE IN TAKING CARE OF MYSELF, IN A BALANCED DIET, IN A RIGOROUS EXERCISE ROUTINE. IN THE MORNING, IF MY FACE IS A LITTLE PUFFY, I'LL PUT ON AN ICE PACK WHILE DOING MY STOMACH CRUNCHES. I CAN DO A THOUSAND NOW. AFTER I REMOVE THE ICE PACK, I USE A DEEP PORE-CLEANSER LOTION. IN THE SHOWER, I USE A WATER-ACTIVATED GEL CLEANSER, THEN A HONEY-ALMOND BODY SCRUB,AND ON THE FACE A EXFOLIATING GEL SCRUB. THEN I APPLY AN HERB MINT FACIAL MASQUE WHICH I LEAVE ON FOR TEN MINUTES WHILE I PREPARE THE REST OF MY ROUTINE. I ALWAYS USE AN AFTER SHAVE LOTION WITH LITTLE OR NO ALCOHOL BECAUSE ALCOHOL DRIES YOUR FACE OUT AND MAKES YOU LOOK OLDER. THEN MOISTURIZER, THEN AN ANTI-AGING EYE BALM, FOLLOWED BY A FINAL MOISTURIZING "PROTECTIVE" LOTION...THERE IS AN IDEA OF A JOHN MICHAEL, SOME KIND OF ABSTRACTION, HUT THERE IS NO REAL ME, ONLY AN ENTITY, SOMETHING ILLUSORY, AND THOUGH I CAN HIDE MY COLD GAZE AND YOU CAN SHAKE MY HAND AND FEEL FLESH GRIPPING YOU AND MAYBE YOU CAN EVEN SENSE OUR LIFESTYLES ARE PROBABLY COMPARABLE: I SIMPLY AM NOT THERE.