Mack

                     when he was feeling his oats he began colouring outside the linesoutside his perimeter  which was rarely sketchy  which was usually a bulwark

                                                anbouncing around in this brightblue Elysium he thought himself clever

inevitably as he had so many times before right from the script hed say to him Oh I get it  Hows that working out for you

Mack would say What?

hed say  Being clever

So while I was indulging in Mickey Spillane tantalised by the lurid covers hawkeyeing my dad as he read em until he finishedset em aside  when he was done he wouldnt go back em  so I took em   he probably assumed my maw got rid of em like she got rid of our toys   You haven’t played with that toy in months.   But it was in my toybox   You hadn’t played with it in months; I gave it away.   Are you kiddin me   I wouldn’t kid you.

                                                                                         So while Im reading pulp fiction finding hardboiled novels Hammett Chandler Hemingway Cain Himes Highsmith anything I could lay my hands on  what were you reading

Mad magazine.  Comicbooks.

Comicbooks   Really

                       Yamean like Richie Rich a dig he missed Archie  Betty and Veronica  Jughea . . 

. . Hold on, correction, correction, Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge.

Which was which

Are you kidding me?

Man I hope yare kidding me

Macks face screwed up unpleasantly

                                         I liked Veronica; she was dark, better built.

Shes a cartoon character

Yeah, so, I also read muscle car magazines.

Say no moreI mean it  Say  no  more

                                             Obviously our differences are more than me raised in the Midwest an you in California  so much more

Elysium had Mack by the balls

                               he could see mercurial cleverness working hardpeeking at him from out behind his eyes  Funhouse quicksilver rising

                             wondering when it might break he tippytoedhoping to keep it in check AHha  the best laid plans of mice and men  he slippedno sooner than it was out of his mouth he knew whawas next

                                                                                                     they had been talking again of hardboiled writers novels  their nihilism  unforgiveness  never give a sucker an even break

                                                                                                          he said  Prior to reading Hammett I hadnt conceived of a character slipping another a Mickey

                                                                                You mean a Spillane? Right?  verily he gloated   Get it?

Oh  I get it  Clever   Hows that working out for you

1550,  Day-between-Two-Ts,  24  11. 21

1255,  Twosday,  30  11. 21

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXcEPSUl0uE 

in-ane Republicans

Ulyssus S Grant may have seen the writing on the wall although he wouldnt want to call him prescient 

Grant was responsible for the magnanimous terms of surrender that prevented treason trials that Robert E Lee signed 9 April 1865 at Appomattox Court House – every prominent Confederate warmaker and political leader of the eleven Confederate States should have been tried and if found guilty executed

                                                             on 10 March 1861 the Confederacys Vice-President Alexander H Stephens made no bones why the South would fight the Civil War in his Cornerstone Speech 

                                                                                       “Our new government(’s) . . foundation are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery – subordination to the superior race – is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral threat.”

anyone who says the Civil War was not about slavery is lying 

on 29 September 1875 President Grant gave a speech at the Annual Reunion of the Army of Tennessee in Des Moines Iowa

      “The free school is the promoter of . . intelligence which is to preserve us as a free nation. If we are to have another contest in the near future of our national existence, I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon’s, but between patriotism and intelligence on one side, and superstition, ambition, and ignorance on the other.

1640,  Monday,  29  11. 21

1104,  Twosday,  30  11. 21

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/grant-next-civil-war/ 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Confederate-States-of-America

waste knot want Nott

he was reelingfeeling no pain they got their hands on some really good shit

                                                                                 Im stoned man Thank you

You’re welcome. I’m really stoned too.

it was nice being high it helped them ignore the junior high kids who may have been trying to move them off the patioout of the two metal yellow chairsthe small café table with their shrill voices and asinine antics

I don think I was ever as stupid or as inconsiderate as these monkeysYou

No. Then I preferred not being around adults, rather being off somewhere with my buddies.

Yah  However after school we headed home first to learn if we could go outwhich was always dependent on homework

these kids hangaround here congregate maybe safety in numbers  otherwise theyre all waiting to be picked up in an hour or more by their parents

Their parents are working.

Their parents can make contingency plans

That would cost money.

Kids having smartphones cost money

                                          Not so smart Theyre gonna reap what they sow

Who said that?

Paul I believe Galatians  sixth verse seventh line Lotsa sowing and reaping goinround

How do you know that . . or remember it?

Trivia  I know lotsa useless things anwhen Im stoned they froth rise to the surface like heavy cream on milk But like these kids ya got a smartphone ya can check me if you like

How sure are you?

Very sure

             Because Im very stoned

No, I won’t doublecheck you.

Too stoned

That.

          That and I'm too lazy.

Ah Waste knot want Nott

Whatever . . sure . waste not want not.

Incorrect

          Waste knot want Nott 

That’s what I said.

Thas whaya said not wha I meant

                                        Lemme show you Got your pen

I do. he shifted his hips forward and dug into his front pockets with both hands  Jesus. Gotta stand up, in my back pocket. he stood slowly he dug into them with both hands  There. he held out the pen in his left and sat down again

That was a chore I could have asked a numbnut to borrow a pen in half that time

You asked.

I did

        Ya remember what we were talking about

Talking about? You were talking about.

Whawas I talking about

he laughed

             You forget

I didnt Have you   Remember why I asked for your pen

I remember.

                Maybe.    I’m really stoned.

Ill give ya a moment

                    Ya realise Im exercising your brain on purpose Use it or lose it

I’m stoned.

               No I don’t.

Hint

Yeah.  Maybe.

Waste  After Pauls sowing and reaping

                                         Sounds like a party Id attend as long as it was only sowing and reaping  no proselytising

Waste?

That egg

Egg?

Okay Last time This is drugs  This is your brain on drugs

                                                              I hope that talking head ate the fried egg although I doubt it

What are you talking about?

BINGpatience is over Waste knot want Nott

                                               the blue ink drove him nuts he took the napkin his paper coffee cup sat on an facing the paper to his friend he wrote upsidedown Waste knot want Nott

                                                                               Yasee

You misspelled your nots.

How many times have I told you I don make spelling errors

                                                               Waste knot as in tying a knot Nott as in a young womans last name who I knew years ago and wished Id tied upplayed bondage with White soft Shibari rope crossed around an between her breasts crossed her shoulders an arms tying them behind her back she was darker complected  OhOUCH the keen distinctionthe lines and coils of rope against her skin would have been insanely delicious

Yaever play bondage

Oh, man, you’re blowing my mind.

Ahwell Waste knot want Nott

                                I wont forgetwont ever waste a knot again

after 240 or 1440, Day-between-Two-Ts,  24  11. 21

1219,  Monday,  29  11. 21

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FtNm9CgA6U

 

they were standing in his brothers kitchenhad just opened a couple of beers sippedem setem on the island next moment his brothers at his fly fondling the zippered corduroy  he hadnt come around to Levi 501 buttonflies

                                                                                                                 Whadafuck ya doin

It’s on the phonesome doohickey . . hadn’t paid much attention to it but it got me thinking . . so for shits and grins I dial a number, make the call, Facetime option appears, voila.

Voila

       Whas voila

What comes next.

An whacomes next

Obvious, ain’t it?

Yare the comedian  No

                         Ya got me chasing my tail in a circle like a small dog  Whadaya talkin about

Facetime, man . . Facetime.

                              I’m talking about Facetime.

An enthusiastically Ive heard of it but I had my daughter disable the iPhone I use from internet connectivity kill the horseshit I make calls take calls text

Well that sucks, what good is a smartphone without internet, the apps and such?

Its exactly as good as I need

Sounds like a waste of good money.

Not really it was free

                      Got something for nothing 3G technology is gone early next year  Ive had upgrade offers for years However were getting off the mark

                                     Facetime voila anya fiddling with your fly

I hope my contract provides unlimited Facetime; check it out.

                                                                with thatwithout hesitationwith great glee he opened his fly pulled out his cock banged in a number hit the green call button . . .

a scream came from the other room

                                     WOULD YOU QUIT THAT, STANLEY.         

YOU LOVE ME, BABY.

she had ended the call

returning himselfzipping his fly up

                                     Bro, I love Facetime, keeps romance, excitement, in my marriage.

I suppose as long as remember the right number

I said excitement.

                   he howled with laughter

afternoon,  Twosday,  16  11. 21

                                                                             1056,  Monday,  29  11. 21

trash man

they were having too much fun  shots and beers smoking cigars admiring the colourful Chinese lanterns dancing on wire on the evening breeze

his brothers wife cried from inside the housefrom the kitchen window WOULD YOU TWO KEEP IT DOWN? YOU’RE DISTURBING THE NEIGHBORS.

he beat his brother to the draw Don think so they aint yelling at us from their homes

Jesus, man.  he chuckled   Would you leave her alone, I gotta live with her.

Yah I dont

   STANLEY.   DID YOU TAKE THE TRASH OUT BEFORE YOUR BROTHER SHOWED UP?

NO Fuck. Trash day tomorrow.

Ill help

Nah, that’s okay, ain’t much since the kids moved out.

She cant take it out

That’s my job; been my job since we first moved in together.

You didnt hand it off to the boys when they got old enough

My job; she said her children weren’t going to be raised to do menial jobs.

Menial like making dinner washing clothes so on so forth

It’s my job.

Okay man I cant help

NAH. No thanks.

                   he got up from the picnic table bench took a drag off the Arturo Fuente exhaled sipped the Redbreast took a pull from his beer he cleared his throat

                                                 You know what she hoping for?

Ive got an idea

An idea, that’s fun; wanna share?You tell me yours I’ll tell you mine.

Not as fun as Showing the neighbourhood girls when we were young

Who knows! What’s your idea?

I was thinking along the lines that yare set out with the trash   Anafter the trashmen leave yare still there

GODDAMMIT, exactly what I was thinking.

Brothers Close  Grew up together

Yeah, we’re disgusting.

Whawe disgusting

What makes the world go round.

                                      At least . . what makes my world go round and round.

Wheels on the bus

Exactly.  Be right back.

                        Don’t let my cigar go out.

he watched him walk up towards the house bend over stand again an pull up on his trousers bend over roll a couple of cans out from under the backsteps out of the way unseen  effortlessly   practised

                                                                                           he pushed one ahead and dragged the other on the narrow walk that lead beside the garage and out into the alley

                                                                                             something his boys didnt do for their father because their mother forbade it 

he puffed his cigar 

                    he was a good B O B   beast of burden he deserved a good cigar a good whiskey a good beer their lavish rawsometimes obscene good humour many times over the years people within earshot got up from where they were sitting and left

                    snobbitchysneers smeared on their face

Life muthafuckers  its a comedy club

                                       Ifya cant take a joke ya never should have come in

MY CIGAR?

Smouldering like your soul cunt  I listen to you

                                                   I also freshened your whiskey

afternoon,  Twosday,  16  11. 21

1227,  Sunday,  28  11. 21

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sya0wEfu-Nk

 

he loved talking with his brother

they didnt do it often enough

talking was going to have to do because the motherfucker wouldnt write

not letters

not emales

his brothers popcorn ceiling disabused him that his hand was busted  fingers inarticulate

You know what a popcorn ceiling is, right?

Yes he said its a coarse texturing to finish off drywall similar to texturing a true plaster wall applied over wood lath sprayed on with a hopper gun held eighteen inches off  Im told it deadens noise

To a T, you described my bedroom ceiling. My wifes never been happy about it. In fact three, four years ago she told me she wanted it removed.

The ceiling bothered her that much

It bothered her that much.

It bother you

No. When I go to bed, turn off the lights, I can’t see it, she can’t see it, but she knew it was there.

Has she slept better since

You know, I haven’t asked her.

Have you slept better since

I sleep, I could care less what kind of ceiling is over me.

You ah  push back 

                     he knew his brother wasnt aggressiveconfrontational

Kinda.

Whas  kinda

he laughed gayly

                   I asked her if she wouldn’t wait a while longer. I hadn’t finished it yet.

their conversation collapsed in riotous laughter that ran ridiculously long

                                                                               he wiped tears from his eyes his brothers wife was humourless  his brother was a scream

when they could speak again his brother said Now that I’m not working anymore I’m thinking of doing standup comedy. What do you think?

Yare fucking hilariousYES Popcorn ceiling part of your bi . .

. . Hell yeah, thought I’d simulate how it’s done.

Complete with sound effects

Sound effects and faces, man, I practice faces when my wife isn’t looking, when she turns her back on me saying You’re ridiculous.

afternoon,  Twosday,  16  11. 21

1029,  Sunday,  28  11. 21

Iron Butterfly  Most Anything You Want  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QZdITJX6I0

 

on a large sheet of paper he randomly slopped thin redpaint with a broad brush

                                                                                      then    he stoodup an stoodback

he slowly walked around the table looking at it

he was silent a long time

he sighed You did it because the mind will lead somewhere

                                                                 It is a frame of mind art is a frame of mind

he was gropingtryin to assess his

Wha to make   make  of this asymmetric Rorschach

the paint viscous like ink

the dribblings SPLASHesNO no

                                lashes       kinetic violence                      Im guilty

sympathetically Pray tell of what? 

     Wha

                  Nothing specificnothing in mind  nothing to put my finger on     Just how Im feeling

Then if I may, might the painting be at an end?    Done.

Thas not how I work

Maybe your work is done.

                             Maybe . . you’ve captured what you truly meant. You mixed the paint, troubled yourself getting it quite right, taped the page down, turned the paper . . you selected the brush from among many after fingeringweighin them, you practised manymany times how you might throw . which hand.

I believe you have startled yourself.

There is nothing more to be done; nothing more than where, the frame, angle, height, lighting.

 

Who was he to argue with himself

1753,  Day-between-Two-Ts,  17  1. 21

1102,  Saturday,  27  11. 21

     the moons comeup  looks like a glasssauce full of cheddar

2333,  ReggaeFriday,  26  11. 21

 

he was reallyreally really  tempted   to sell dog flesh to Chinese Vietnamese Thai restaurants in town

when he moved into his rental house neighbourhood dogs were few and far between 

he had cats

they scratched

that was a bitch

but they didnt barkyammerYAMMER SHUT YER FUCKIN MOUTHS unending  somehow their owners didnt hear them

      couldbe that dogs were their white noisetheir first line of defense  backedup with unseen firearms 

                                                                                                             maybe why he had become proficient with a bow an arrow knives  hatchets   spears  

if he was in a fight he preferred bareknuckles  closeup  bloodmist exitbreaths in his face   eyelights going out

it was cowardly killing from afar

                                 annow he lived in a country that relished murder from above by bloodless drones  no risks run anwouldnt run any risks until another country declared their right to extrajudicial killings

                                                                                                        sayhmm  China  say Russia  say alliedlovers against the America Way

                                                          though perhaps if they chilled their heels heldoff threefour years maybejust maybe theyd have asswipe companions an wont have to deliberate for then this country would have gone batshit  autocratic   have handpicked their petty loyal oligarchs

then hed be selling long pig flesh to Chinese Vietnamese Thai joints in town

2112 & concluding 2131,  ReggaeFriday,  26  11. 21

The Buoys  Timothy  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXn0uIF60iU

 

he was temptedhe was teerribly tempted

                                               but hed stand by what he understood longest    a redheaded whore

pute russe looked more attractive it rolled off the tongue nicer  best thing about it was if someone wasnt familiar with Frenchspoke it likely they wouldnt know what the hell you meant

                                                                      an ofcourse the best thing about Americans he learned it in grade school if you dont know what something is you keep your hand down because you want to act that you knew  not ask   not seem ignorant 

                                           he was the kid at the front of the class handup perhaps waving it more enthusiastically than he should  he didnt have eyes in the back of his head like his motherlike all the mothers in the neighbourhood to see if another kid raised their hand  he had only to watch his teachers eyes they werent looking around the classroom they were fixed on him an by this time word was around among his classmates that he was willing to take the bullet allow them to feel to maintain their superiority  DUMB FUCKS

                                                                               he couldnt wait till gym or on the recess playground to humiliate them

    a red-headed whore 

                            ofcourse everyone knew the whores name                              Tim

by junior high he flunked twice

1151,  Sunday,  21  11. 21

1501,  ReggaeFriday,  26  11. 21

 

he hadnt had a chance to share his dream with her she starred

                                                                       Whadidya say

Queer, isn’t it?

                I said colonized.

Your mother said that

Yes, she prefers I colonize, become the version she wants me to be, that version agreeable to the gaze of men, Boomers, the version America wants.

Colonised  I cant say Ive ever considered the word in that sense application

                                                                                    Very queer I dreamed of you last night

her breathe caught You dreamed of me?

                                        You rarely dream of people you know.

  Very rare   Could be why Im comfortable among strangers

A ah . . a good dream I hope . my that was stupid . . you describes dreams, frustrate the hell out of me, only as dreams, not dreams or nightmares, good or bad . .  just dreams.

Yes  You know me too well

                               I dreamed you as I know youas you are  crossbreed darker complexion long black hair wideeyes  your broad Indian nose which I love dearly   But I also dreamed of you as lightcomplected pale eyes  butch blonde hair

               Yawere arguing with yourself

Arguing?

Vehemently

What were we arguing about?

I didnt listen  You know Im not one to interlope

                                                 An now take into account  I dreamed overnight an this morning you mention your mother wishing you colonised  Thats wild

You really have no idea what we were arguing about?

No but you both strongly insisted I weigh in Fat chance I was coming between you

                                                                                        I said you were intelligent youd figure it out  Last thing anyone needs are opinions

Look at you being so very yourself even as you dream.

                                                         And yet because I know you can dream lucidly . . you could have changed the dream, changed whatever its outcome.

I didnt stick around  not one to poke my nose into anyones business

                                                                         I am dumbfounded however then not   by your mothers preference you colonise

1803,  Day-between-Two-Ts,  24  11. 21

1222,  ReggaeFriday,  26  11. 21