He talks of travel, far off places, remote villages, forgotten peaks, hidden valleys
Pretends as if Mumbai is a place much frequented
She affects the persona of a Parisian in Paris
Beret set just so, black and white scarf encircling neck
Cigarette residing between fore and middle fingers
Spewing out words
Manufacturing sentences
Embellishing stories
Hearing but only listening to out do
Striving to impress while feigning interest
Time elapses
Poisons drunk
Talk trails off
Attempts at wit made
Passersby eviscerated in whispers
Last call sounds
Desperation sets in, signals are construed
He lives close by
It will not be passion
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Seagulls
"They explode if you feed them Coke." stated Tyler.
"Really?", I asked incredulously not quite believing him.
Hearing the disbelief in my voice he backed it up with "Yeah my Dad told me they can't burp so they fill up with fizz until they burst."
I regarded the cola in my hand and asked "... but how do we get them to drink it?"
"That's easy," he replied, rolling his eyes, "Just soak some bread in it."
"Are you sure?" I still wasn't quite convinced.
"Here I'll show ya." Snatching the bottle of soda out of my hand he poured some on the corner of his sandwich tore it off and tossed it at the bird. I was so enthralled at the chance to see a bird blow up I wasn't even offended by his blatant pillaging of my drink.
Startled the bird flitted away from this sudden intrusion on its space. Settling down it regarded the bread with some apprehension. Over the years it had learned that food had the habit of appearing whenever these two legged creatures were around. After a few more moments of hesitation it darted in snatched up the piece of bread swallowing it in one gulp and hopped back a few feet all the while keeping an eye on us.
Retreating behind the bench we had been sitting on, we peeked over the top our eyes riveted on our victim. Unaware of his imminent demise the bird looked greedily at the half a sandwich we had left on the seat of the bench.
After a few moments had passed without seeing the promised bursting of the bird Tyler stated "We need to give it more pop."
Nodding but with my eyes still glued to the bird I reached over the bench and snatched the remains of the sandwich. Tyler returned my soda and I generously doused another corner of the bread. Ripping it off I lobbed it over the bench like a grenade. It landed a few feet behind the bird but before it could reach it another gull had swooped down and scooped it up.
I began to feel the first pangs of guilt at what we were doing to these two innocent creatures. Offing one bird didn't feel so wrong, but two made me mass murder. As I nervously looked over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching us Tyler took the sandwich and soda from my hands and proceeded to soak the remainder the sandwich with what was left of my Coke.
Chucking this sopping mess at the two birds he confidently said "There that should do it."
With trepidation I watched the birds devour the bait, my mind running wild with all kinds of horrible consequences to our actions. I imagined spending the rest of my life in detention or worse if we were caught. Still nothing happened.
"I forgot, we've got to make them move around so the pop starts to fizz up" Tyler informed me.
"No!" I cried hoping that maybe there was still something I could do to save there lives.
Ignoring me he charged the gulls causing them to take flight.
"There that will get all that pop fizzing" he said with a satisfied grin.
The lunch bell rang, and no longer wanting to see the results of our handy work I ran as fast I could for the class door with my jacket pulled over my head. Tyler realizing what would happen when the birds exploded followed my example and was right behind me. Reaching the door without being showered in entrails and feathers I felt relieved. Tyler stood at the door looking out still hoping to see the seagulls gruesome end.
"Ahh man!" he whined "I can't see where they went."
Ignoring him I tried to make my way to class as unobtrusively as possible. Every time someone looked at me I thought they knew what I had done. I avoided looking outside for the rest of the day, keeping my eyes focused on the blackboard. My mind however wandered. Whenever a bird chirped outside I felt it was accusing me of murder. I expected the police to burst in at any moment, take me away and stuff me in the Chokey.
On the way home I ran as fast as I could. I kept glancing at the sky expecting to be attacked at any second by a flock of vengeful gulls. I arrived at home, and without even greeting my mom I grabbed the cat hoping it would protect me and locked myself in my room. At supper mom told me that if I didn't finish my chicken I wouldn't get any dessert. Claiming to not be hungry I returned to my room with the cat and hid under my blanket.
When my parents turned on the news I crept to my door and pressed my ear against it, straining to hear any reports of the bird murderers. Days turned to weeks and nothing was ever reported. I began to think maybe we had gotten away with our evil deed. Still not convinced I was in the clear I never went out without a hat to hide my face from my avian nemesis. When ever a bird was around when I ate my lunch I always left part of it on the bench for them when I left to atone for my crime.
Then one day while sitting in class I began to laugh. Louder and louder I got, everyone asked what was so funny?
"They can still fart" I squealed with delight.
Not knowing what to do my teacher sent me to the office. I laughed all the way down the hall, kids ran to the door to see what was so funny and when asked I would cry "they farted!"
The Principal called my mother and I was still chortling when she showed up. Clueless as to the cause of my mirth she grounded me for a month with out desserts. I didn't care, my conscious was assuaged, I no longer felt like a condemned man.
"Really?", I asked incredulously not quite believing him.
Hearing the disbelief in my voice he backed it up with "Yeah my Dad told me they can't burp so they fill up with fizz until they burst."
I regarded the cola in my hand and asked "... but how do we get them to drink it?"
"That's easy," he replied, rolling his eyes, "Just soak some bread in it."
"Are you sure?" I still wasn't quite convinced.
"Here I'll show ya." Snatching the bottle of soda out of my hand he poured some on the corner of his sandwich tore it off and tossed it at the bird. I was so enthralled at the chance to see a bird blow up I wasn't even offended by his blatant pillaging of my drink.
Startled the bird flitted away from this sudden intrusion on its space. Settling down it regarded the bread with some apprehension. Over the years it had learned that food had the habit of appearing whenever these two legged creatures were around. After a few more moments of hesitation it darted in snatched up the piece of bread swallowing it in one gulp and hopped back a few feet all the while keeping an eye on us.
Retreating behind the bench we had been sitting on, we peeked over the top our eyes riveted on our victim. Unaware of his imminent demise the bird looked greedily at the half a sandwich we had left on the seat of the bench.
After a few moments had passed without seeing the promised bursting of the bird Tyler stated "We need to give it more pop."
Nodding but with my eyes still glued to the bird I reached over the bench and snatched the remains of the sandwich. Tyler returned my soda and I generously doused another corner of the bread. Ripping it off I lobbed it over the bench like a grenade. It landed a few feet behind the bird but before it could reach it another gull had swooped down and scooped it up.
I began to feel the first pangs of guilt at what we were doing to these two innocent creatures. Offing one bird didn't feel so wrong, but two made me mass murder. As I nervously looked over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching us Tyler took the sandwich and soda from my hands and proceeded to soak the remainder the sandwich with what was left of my Coke.
Chucking this sopping mess at the two birds he confidently said "There that should do it."
With trepidation I watched the birds devour the bait, my mind running wild with all kinds of horrible consequences to our actions. I imagined spending the rest of my life in detention or worse if we were caught. Still nothing happened.
"I forgot, we've got to make them move around so the pop starts to fizz up" Tyler informed me.
"No!" I cried hoping that maybe there was still something I could do to save there lives.
Ignoring me he charged the gulls causing them to take flight.
"There that will get all that pop fizzing" he said with a satisfied grin.
The lunch bell rang, and no longer wanting to see the results of our handy work I ran as fast I could for the class door with my jacket pulled over my head. Tyler realizing what would happen when the birds exploded followed my example and was right behind me. Reaching the door without being showered in entrails and feathers I felt relieved. Tyler stood at the door looking out still hoping to see the seagulls gruesome end.
"Ahh man!" he whined "I can't see where they went."
Ignoring him I tried to make my way to class as unobtrusively as possible. Every time someone looked at me I thought they knew what I had done. I avoided looking outside for the rest of the day, keeping my eyes focused on the blackboard. My mind however wandered. Whenever a bird chirped outside I felt it was accusing me of murder. I expected the police to burst in at any moment, take me away and stuff me in the Chokey.
On the way home I ran as fast as I could. I kept glancing at the sky expecting to be attacked at any second by a flock of vengeful gulls. I arrived at home, and without even greeting my mom I grabbed the cat hoping it would protect me and locked myself in my room. At supper mom told me that if I didn't finish my chicken I wouldn't get any dessert. Claiming to not be hungry I returned to my room with the cat and hid under my blanket.
When my parents turned on the news I crept to my door and pressed my ear against it, straining to hear any reports of the bird murderers. Days turned to weeks and nothing was ever reported. I began to think maybe we had gotten away with our evil deed. Still not convinced I was in the clear I never went out without a hat to hide my face from my avian nemesis. When ever a bird was around when I ate my lunch I always left part of it on the bench for them when I left to atone for my crime.
Then one day while sitting in class I began to laugh. Louder and louder I got, everyone asked what was so funny?
"They can still fart" I squealed with delight.
Not knowing what to do my teacher sent me to the office. I laughed all the way down the hall, kids ran to the door to see what was so funny and when asked I would cry "they farted!"
The Principal called my mother and I was still chortling when she showed up. Clueless as to the cause of my mirth she grounded me for a month with out desserts. I didn't care, my conscious was assuaged, I no longer felt like a condemned man.
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