a broken tooth a molar lay on the filthy steep concrete steps that ran alongside the Community Church  they provided access to and from the parking lot at its rear 

dried bloody spittle laced around it

                                     as if the molar was a heart and the spittle its vascular system

the church was the first in the community a pious white community an upstart utopia beginning as nothing more than a tent city 

he supposed a lot of utopias flourished in the West  in California 

if he were to start a utopia hed pick an island 

it could be conquered but it wouldnt be infiltrated 

at least not without his consent

the railroad bypassed it

he guessed the founding fathers wouldnt ante up the bribes but they were armedimbued by God  they could kill righteously to protect what they had God works in mysterious ways

the Church was in the Old Cityhe lived in the neighbourhood above it and contained by it 

he took a shortcut across Church property to walk into town for groceries or go to the library the bank the liquor store the theatre 

if he used the Church as an epicenter within a halfmile radius there were five other churches

he supposed church and cancer had something in common

he didnt know what to make of the molar and bloodit happened there at the foot of the steps blood appeared in spatters along the sidewalk leading awayhemmed in between the church and a brick retaining wall  

the spatters didnt wobble they fell in line

he supposed whoever lost their tooth lost the fight  they didnt leave on their own

ahCommunity

              Kesey  You’re either on the bus or off the bus

All-One                                        

All-One

well  he wasnt 

              anif confronted theyd dance  

his father left him his sap and knuckles from his insurance collection days in Miami

he said he was fleet of foot even on leather soles he never had to resort to them  

but evidently he saw in his sons eyesdespite the boy being faster than him hed make a stand 

when he gave them to him he said  Everyone should have a little insurance, son.

he appreciated his fathers utility and ever since he was put off by sons who mumbled sentimentally about mementos their fathers left them

he paused at the foot of the steps fingered his mouth nope it wasnt his molar one would think hed remember that theyd be wrong

he shrugged off his thoughts continued walking and went back to the book he was reading on fascism       

1533,  Friday,  4  1. 19

1255,  Thursday,  17  1. 19

The Beatles  I Am the Walrus  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1Jm5epJr10

Strawberry Fields Forever  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtUH9z_Oey8