his dream first one to ever reoccur descended upon him like a film trailer and
enthusiastically he wanted to share the experience with his father and
brother both Robert Stanleys the Sr the Jr the Holy Ghost he was mindfulgrateful his brother
took that bulletmoniker despite born after him he was no Bob had he been named RobertBob he would have had
to drop it his personality would have
wilded
it would have persecutedlashed him
he knew
he
the closest he ever came to being
Bob was when he stopped his father from stripping a length of black Dymo label
tape from a palegreen metal toolbox his father wanted him to have it when he
left home for good he
placed a few tools inside
No no dont Please Dad dont
What? Excuse me?
Leave it as is okay Dad
Joe, the tape reads Bob.
You labeled it
I labeled it because it was mine,
now it’s yours.
And I really appreciate your gift
Ill always remember this moment but
please leave the label intact
I’m confused, why?
I think its obvious
You always think things are
obvious, but I don’t live inside your skull. What is obvious?
Ill have the toolbox on job sitesfigure Ill make a living as a labourer or a carpenter he nodded his head at his father as if that
was explanation enough
And? So?
Jesus Suppose I gotta draw you a picture . .
. . Draw.
Bob Agreed again his nod
Yes. You’re wearing my patience thin . .
. . Ive always worn
your patience . .
. . You have.
Then Ive been doing my job as your son an youve been doing
your job as my father Sons are meant to
irritate their fathers
You irritate your mother.
Hence as I said my job Every kids job If were carbon
copieswhat a fucking bore
Yah Im nineteen an fuck frosts your fanny Ya might wanna get used to it Aint no carbon copy . .
. . You can say that again.
Aint no fuckin carbon
copy yaknow better than challengingprovoking me
Your provocation has thin
skin.
My
provocation is reactionary Akinthough I dont
believe in Gawd to not turn a cheek
No carbon copy
You’ve said.
Which returns us to our departure Drawing you a picture
Yes.
I dont want you pulling the tape
off Leave Bob
Again. Why not?
Simple . .
.
. In your mind.
Frankly no I want it to remain And I want it there to enforce who I am on
the jobany future job site Ill be on
And that is?
Bob Beast of burden
Thanks not funny.
No notfunny Accurate Therell not be one person out there that will outwork me Ill always be worth more than they pay me
Say no more, I know that to be
true. You’ve been the stalwart of our family. I’ll miss you.
I’ll miss you
begrudgingly his father and brother
accepted
Hey Im buying the popcorn Quit with the peeved looks Try an enjoy yourself Its remarkablean only the three of us will
ever have witnessed it
the dream rolled in wide screen
everything was hyperfocused
hypercolouredit hurt their eyes a miasma
flowedmagnified its contents superreal overwhelming
they
werent eating their popcorn
there was a flutter
a misstep anxiousness ensued
he was perturbedangered
another flutter
then
the screen went bright white when the dream snapped
the projectionist shut it down
the screen went the deepestblack
hed ever seen
noises in the darkness
followed
corrections
quietclamour
a buzz
FUCK
THERE
a switch flipped
the last image they saw POPPED on
the screen a
minor flutter then they were off again
images washed asif
underwater a tide pool a cleansing
they couldnt eat their popcorn because
they sighed
they were immersed in his dream
maybe hed finally gotten through
to them why he was the way he was
that
they grasped him
the dream SNAPPEDwent brilliant hotwhite
againNO! voidblack followed tinkering the Bobs actually getting impatience
This
is something else. his father whispered
his brother This is very
revealing. I think I’m getting a handle on your obviousness, which, for the most
part, has been inobvious to us. I’m really happy I’m not living inside your
head . .
.
. Gotta correct ya my fuckin head
Can’t give it a rest can you, son?
Nope Cant Thatd
be out of character an Im always in
character
0357, Saturday,
6 4. 19
1215, Sunday,
14 4. 19
