he wasnt one to deface public or private propertynot carelessly heave or splash whitewash or squeeze aerosol cans spraying ejaculating colourful graffiti on drab metal brick or cinderblock canvas  many hed seen were unmistakably art

yet    occasionally              he made exceptions

                                                       when he was exceptionally goaded

this particular goading was in the form of a large whitepainted wood sign which stood perpendicular to the towns main dragthe drag hemmed in by very tall one hundred year old street curbs of quarried stone 

a driveway cut up before the sign tasteful shrubbery at its knees into a substantial parking lot  one hed never seen filled  which provided for a business complex that was built in a Western-motif  one couldnt help but imagine that all its entries were made through swinging saloon doors 

businesses within could advertised on large handpainted panels screwed into place  he had a besieging temptation to call them shingles  as when someone modestly hangs up their shingle for business

but there was nothing modest about them

                                             he thought their overt nature might have been better scrutinised

facing it it read

                         LOS PADRES FOSTER FAMLY SERVICES                            (BLANK)

                                              MASSAGE                                                   SIEMENS

                                               (BLANK)                                                      (BLANK)

                                               (BLANK)                                         AAHANA LIFE COACHING

FAMLY killed himthe fact that it was even hung  he couldnt be the only one who recognised its misspelling Isnt that quaint? Nobody does quaint like these small historic towns. an he recognised it serially as he walked past it  to and fro  fourfive days a week on his way to the gym

he tried his damnedest to stay his hand 

he quarreled with himself

                           Who elseif not me is going to bother to stand up to silence ignorance

then  besides the selfinflicted Fuck you I refuse to take it another day  his quiet moral self chiding his active moral self  last night a paintbrush and a pint of white paint found their way into his hands  they simply materialisedGawd sent  he didnt really deface the sign  rather he edited ithed argue he edited it if he were caught  but common sense told him if young men in hoodies could pummel women in broad daylight break bones scar their faces an walk scottfree  the police say they were stymied They aint dead the police refused to be proactive  perhaps because reactive meant they were saving the community money thenreally who the fuck is going to pay any attention to white paint edits

                                              v

                              LOS PADRES FOSTER FAMLY SERVICES                         (BLANK)

                                              ?

                                                   MASSAGE                                                   S EMEN

                                                    (BLANK)                                                    (BLANK)

                                                    (BLANK)                                           AAH      F       ACHING

he carved the v and ? into the panel with his pocket knife

1600,  Monday,  19  2. 18

1147,  Twosday,  20  2. 18