she saidshe swayed as she said You know, fight or flight . . I’m a flighter.

Jackie  a flighter

Yes.  No? she looked bemusedtickled his heart  Fight or flight, I’m a flighter.

Okay he thought flee but he wasnt going to fightbecause she wouldnt   besides he was havin onehelluvatime keepin his eyesup keepinem from wanderin down acrossback an forth over her tremendous breasts the freckles the furrow between them  sometimes ya gotta swallow a little pride to have a shot at the promised landAmen brother talking to himself they were splendid could take an eye out  he crossed his fingers

You staying to watch the movie tonight?

Were watching a movie  All I heardbout was a get-together

she grimaced It’s a scary movie I’m not keen . .

. . But you cant say no

I couldn’t I’d spoil their fun, evidently I bring something by watching it.

Cover your eyes Squeal

Yes. How did you know?

Because thaswha I do  I don care watchinem either

she giggled 

              So you’re not staying?

Are you

I will.

Then I have a reason to stay

To laugh at me?

No to be as uncomfortable as you

                                      Ifya like follow my lead  I don sit down

You don’t?

No

    I stand behind the sofa

To get a running start?

Yes  are you readin my mind

Can I stand with you?

Happy ifya did

Then Ill stand with you.

 

with the first fright she grabbed his hand 

                                                Do you mind?

No

second fright she tuckedup beside himthen squeezed in front between him and the couch

he put his arms to either side of her

Thank you.

she was antsykept shifting her feetmoving her ass against him

it became obvious

she turned slowly around between his arms faced him

My.

If youd like

  Ohmy.

he gestured with his chin

                              Yare missing the film his heart was beating hard 

she smileddimples she was killing him 

                                        I found something else I'd rather do. thoughtfully she leaned her forehead to his chin

dreamtime tetherin Saturday-Sunday,  13 – 14,  8. 22

1116,  Day-between-Two-Ts,  17  8. 22

a sleek glossyblack Jaguar coupe came up the drive into mall parking lot slowing down out the passenger windowtrying to lower it the driver cried  Hey handsome!

he was the only one walking handsome as he was but kept on his steady stride evenkeel 

he didnt know a damnsoul who drove a Jaguar 

                                                   let alone a guy

he crossedright behind the Jag off the pavement onto a wide islandgrass and trees a couple of benches to take a load off

crossing into another lot now his nose in a book The Last Days of Roger Federer he heard an engine approaching him from his right 

               he pulledup to let it pass continuing to read  it did not pass but stopped

he hated these interactions with vehicles vehicles smarter than their drivers he didnt read with his ears  he lookedup

Black Jaguar 

               Did you hear me?

he didnt recognise the man not young not old   they irritated him 

                                                                       Are you talking to me his irritation answered

I hailed you. hailing might have worked for him

I dondo hail an I dontalk to strangers like my Mamma taught me Have a fine day he brought the book backup to his face and crossed in front of the idling Jag

I KNOW YOU

Sssh Im a secret he mumbled over his shoulder

I KNOW YOU 

                  the Jag entered gear and rolledup on his right as he walked I SAID I KNOW YOU

So you said though I woudnt be able to convince my Mamma

Jag coasting You walk around town reading.

Evidently

How do you do that?

Practise 

You’re certainly not sociable.

Walkin Readin

                    No

You know, you’re a prick . .

. . Handsome  a handsome prick

                                    whoever he was he had to hit the brakes in order not to hit the island he steppedup onto then a brief drive 

                         then a right onto a sidewalk that ran beside thirtyfive miles per hour traffic

then back into his book                                                                                               

1320,  Twosday,  16  8. 22

1246,  Day-between-Two-Ts,  17  8. 22

he liked to mine mindspush buttons

                                        it was his nature

if someone knew him they KNEW that 

few did

          some thought their dictatestheir authority would subsume that

but they didnt know him   

he got into peoples headsperplexed them 

                                          cracked them like black walnuts he made battle  nuts confronted  crushed together in his hand  those whose shell broke he ate  he set aside the winners for rematches

to managements dismay the winnersthe shelled gladiators from bulk twentypound bags were celebrated  he set them atop three edges of his cubicle 

they had stipulated that nothingno personal effects could be visible  if they understood himthey hired him they should have known it was of no consequence to him 

                                                it wasnt their cubicletheir personal spacetheir working environment atmosphere

It seems to me  I don walk into your offices tell you wha personal things you may or may not display on your walls  Walls  Imagine  or your desks DO  I    So who are you to tell me

they backed off

how Wise were they

but despite his efforts he was the only one who refusedcrossed them

his coworkers toed the linedidnt follow his leadrefused  to side with him

their unequivocal submissionthey felt  allowed him to flout the norm

Its a gawddamn work place we spend eight or more hours a day here  It shoud be comforting

management was aware  they were content he was a one offan oddball 

                                                                            how flexible of them     

had he not been a linchpin between corporation and consumers things might have been different    

he knew that

they recognised it

so they turned a blind eye

mining minds isnt a sure thing

                                 anymore than staking a claim in Coloma California or working the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon

he turned soil

dug furiously

panned

sluiced

sometimes hard work doesnt pay off

which isnt to say it wasnt worth the effort

2125,  Monday,  18  7. 22

0104,  Day-between-Two-Ts,  17  8. 22

Neil Young  Old Man  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAtDrFdomN4