Lyle Enright's story, "Bargaining," is in Short Circuit #03, Short Édition's quarterly review. Lyle writes, reads, cooks, and herds three chinchillas with his wife at their home in Ohio. He recently earned his PhD in English from Loyola University Chicago.

I remember when my world divided into male and female, when the girls screamed "Shaun has cooties!" across the playground and flushed with what I thought was anger. I remember being in a closet with the enemy, chapped-lipped and terrified but trying to pucker up for victory. It doesn't change as you get older, you just get taller and the stakes get higher. You may even start bargaining: If we're both forty and haven't settled yet, come find me. We'll figure something out. Get hitched. People do that, right?    I'm out here in the woods because I'm trying to make good on an old bargain. It's co

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