Monday, March 1, 2010
Town days
Walking around the city today everything seems especially dead and down. No one is out, nothing seems to be going on, but not to any big surprise. As I was on my stroll I pass by Dave’s meat shop and see him standing behind the counter. He looked depressed but didn’t everyone in this town. I notice him glaring at some thing, I turn and see a kid on the side walk selling lemonade. Well at least the youth had some spirit in this town. Suddenly I hear yelling in the background. I turn to walk toward it. It’s a couple fighting. I can’t make out who it is. I try to listen. They are talking to fast for me to make out what they are saying. It comes to a stop. They break apart and go in opposite directions. In a split second, it is as if nothing was going on, and I seem to be the only one who has witnessed what happened. I feel like that happens a lot in this town, which makes reporting in the town worth while and that much more difficult. I may be the only reporter but when no one else can tell me what happened it’s hard to make it believable.
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ReplyDeleteSo, she began her rounds. She started at the first floor, saw nothing but dust mites and heard nothing but the rap of her own feet on the concrete floors. On the second floor, again only dust, but this time she heard something coming from the floor above. The thud of her sneakers now competed with the fierce clacks of stilettos radiating from floor 3. Oh shit, Edna thought, Courtney Red. Finally out of her room.
ReplyDeleteEdna stepped back onto the elevator to find that Braxton kid (her head had been clear enough one day to finally comprehend him) standing anxiously by the buttons. He jumped when her weight shifted the platform slightly, almost as if he was expecting it to fall. Maybe it was this head injury, but Edna suddenly felt compelled to pay attention to this kid in his oversize suit. Something was different about him today. But right as she was about to open her mouth to comment, the chime sounded and doors opened, and a tall, haughty woman with red stiletto boots walked on.
"Oh, Edna!" she exclaimed. "Heard anything interesting lately?"
Now Edna didn't know whether this woman actually knew about her secret job and was trying to pilfer stories, or was just way too cheery and oblivious to understand what was going on around her, but Edna hated her. There weren't many people, other than her parents, that she could label with "hate," but this woman was one of them. She was uppity, annoying, and seemed to have no clue that she was living in a pit of despair.
Edna made some inaudible noises in response, averted her eyes, and rode to the roof just to assure she would not be headed in the same direction as Red.
3. A girl in red boots - She has a notebook in one hand and a pencil in the other. Her red boots contrast nicely with the dirt beneath her feet. She doesn't look up as I pass by. She's writing. I wonder why she doesn't look up. I smiled, but she'd never know. I hope what she's doing is important, even if it's only important to her. That's a start.
ReplyDeleteThe Aftermath
ReplyDeleteSTOP BANGING.
I turn over to make eye contact with the clock's hands.
They taunt me.
Seconds of the day are just ticking away ... this hangover just won't stand UP.
It's going to have back problems. SO FUCK IT. KARMA I tell you ... KARMA.
WHO THE HELL IS KNOCKING AT MY DOOR AT 2:00 IN THE AFTERNOON?
G-d, when did the second hand on my clock get so LOUD?
Don't tell me ....
I hear children screaming and laughing, carnival lights buzzing and blinking, rides singing, beer tapping, and funnel cakes nauseating.
Fuck them.
"BBBGOCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK bgbgbggbg bgogckkk"
Chikens?
Hashem, you're really throwing me for a loop here aren'tcha.
I sit on the edge of my bed ...
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
It peels off, each taste bud letting go like the sucker of an octopus.
I fall backwards.
Beer and funnel cakes.
Who knew?
Bubby ... g-d she always fucking does, doesn't she?
WELL, guess I'm skipping Shabbat dinner tonight ... I'm too hungover.
Fuck, I did that last Friday.
I need to make a move.
The kitchen is too far.
So, I roll over towards my message machine.
The red light is blinking.
GREAT.
Let's get this over with.
"Hey John, its Jeb, you know... Jeb... from down a few flights ... well more like a bunch of flights ... well ANYWAYS I had a lot of fun last night ... the beer, the funnel cakes, and your Grandma ... or whatdyou call her? Bubba? Well whatever, she's a HOOT! And Courtney? DUDE... nice score last night ... she's hot. Sure talks alot ... but she's hot ... Anyways, I'll meet you in the lobby at 5 ... Bubba said Shabbat starts no later than sun down... right? What should I bring? There are loose chikens in the streets ... have you been outside yet today? IT's CRAZY! Well ... after I knocked out that guy last night and you threatened that gangbanger with a ..."
I can't. Do. This.
Pull the chord out of the outlet.
Hey Bruce,
(I say to poster of Bruce Springstein on the ceiling over my bed)
wake me up at 4:55 for Shabbat dinner ...
Bubby will kill me if I miss again.
I hit the pillow. Hard.
Warm weather always brightened Mr. Takuya's spirits. Especially sunshine. These two things meant good business and a nice stroll around town. However Mr. Takuya was surprised by the continued lack of hungry sidewalk sharers he encountered. Most people had a hard time saying no to his savory sweet treats. The people in this town sure were strange. Mr. Takuya remembered his encounter with the strange lady with red boots from earlier in the afternoon. She had scared the senses right out of Mr. Takuya. In fact, many of the people in this town scared him, but for the first time he didn't run out of town in search of comfort.
ReplyDeleteMr. Takuya had been walking down Navajo St. towards Jorri Ray's, past the broken down armored truck. The availability of free money did not tempt Mr. Takuya. Money was not a huge necessity for him, he sold his treats out of pure joy. Although he still found it very peculiar that an armored truck had broken and the people of this town had not yet swarmed it. Perhaps they had. Mr. Takuya would certainly be the last to know if that happened. Money could not be found in large amounts among the streets, the inhabitants all had that in common.
As he pasted Jorri Ray' the sudden clackity clack behind startled him. A young woman wearing bright red boots had appeared out of no where and was following him quite indiscreetly. As quickly as she had appeared, she was ahead of Mr. Takuya blocking him path. Everything about this woman made Mr. Takuya nervous. The boots. Her notepad. Her aggressive behavior, questioning him about the armored truck. "Did you see it break down?" "Has anyone gone inside of it?" "Do you eat at Jorri Ray's a lot?" What time would say the truck broke down?" "Do you have any idea where the driver went?" "Got any strong suspensions about who would steal from a broken down armored truck?" "Anyone in this town you don't like?" "Hey!! I'm talking to you, you know."
Remembering the afternoon again, Mr. Takuya was starting to sweat. The anxiety she made him feel earlier was coming back.
He didn't like any of it.