two presented

“How can you know the present without it first becoming the past in the future?”

the griot Kouyate “I teach kings the history of their ancestors so that the lives of the ancients might serve them as an example, for the world is old, but the future springs from the past.” 

he would keep an eyeball peeled for the thirdthings come in threes  or

                                                                            was he supposed to play a part in the trilogy

unlikely

he read watched the original of many but rarely their sequels Stallone broke him of that

past

present

future

             things come in three

Time is fascinating

hed be patient

             hed make like the small brown squirrel who joined him on the sidewalk  it came out of a wild stand of trees grasses weeds which bordered a creek

he thought he might be surprised but wasnt

                                             taking the book from his face he put a finger in it closed ittucked it in his armpit and walked beside the squirrel  he let it set the pace

                                                                      they came upon a narrow dirt path that veered and descended to the water  the squirrel in no particular hurry   it left him on the sidewalk

                                                                                                  he watched it mosey

it stopped threefour times  sat on its haunches  nibbled young grass clover fallen acorns  he watched it until it went around behind high grass

couldnt say he walked with a squirrel before

it was small

he assumed young

maybe it didnt know any better or maybe it did or maybe it didnt care

he thought it might reemerge 

he waited 

                waited awhile

the characters in the book he was reading grew restless they wanted to continue their story  he conceded   he went off with them

patiently however  he was going to keep his eyes peeled

     

2001,  Monday,  18  4. 22

2339,  Monday

1st quote  pg205  Robin McLean  Pity the Beast

2nd quote  pg55  Teju Cole quotes in Black Paper 

griot  oral history tradition, storyteller 

too small a bit to run long

a pensee begged

he conceded

bee eat

shiny green gold

meat bee gobbled at the creek

while he minded his own beeswax

glutton bee bit him

1339,  Thursday,  14  4. 22

1101,  Monday,  18  4. 22

pensee: 2syllable subject; 4syllable description; 7 action; 8 setting; 6syllable final thought 

Pity the Beast a book by Robin McLean

                                           he agreed with her human beings are beasts

his head bobbed emphatically as he walkedread her line on page 333  One person’s misery is another person’s pleasure.  had to stop to write it down

                                          then at home he realised he didnt have to jot the note it committed itself to his memory

there are mnemonic devise to help remember but this sentence horsed incleared the area surrounding itmade the place its own

         truth be known the sentence fired his recall of the fat orange Former No no not that he wanted   although his fingers were crossed a president not to lie in state at the Capitol   he deserved that

One person’s misery is another person’s pleasure. terribly true Former was terribly pleased  tried as hard as he could was ablyassisted by vile likeminded staff to satisfy his campaign his Cruelty Is the Point campaign which became the title of Adam Serwers book  he capably elegantly captured its essence

   January 6 

                 he remains today as offended as he was while watching it unfold

nearly 1400,  Thursday,  14  4. 22

1029,  Monday,  18  4. 22

Cruelty  begin 5 minute-mark  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Zgtrf9-fs

Ya aint got shit in your icebox.

I like things one day at a time

Not a damn thing in your cupboards. 

Day at a time

That’s nonsense.

I don afford nonsense

Not planning for the future?

Plans I made were disrupted  No

You hopeless?

No

     No.  I'd say hopeless.

                             What would you say?

Dangerous

That’s an overestimation.

Interesting

             Based on wha

A feeling.

Intuition

          Overconfidence

Fucking with meh . .

. . Fuckinwid me

                   Cuz ya got nothing but  me

What’s that supposed to mean?

Might suppose thas your gambit

                                  Ya got shit in your icebox and cupboards

Plans  Can be elusive

Might not see the light of day

But the balls in your court

Whadaya think

he hadnt thought he had choice things to enjoy and saw himself enjoying them

 

959 preferred to 2159,  Easter Sunday,  17  4. 22

1018 preferred to 2218 for a reason,  Easter Sunday

Awwwgh

             not the way he wanted to begin his day

AZAZEL he knew of the Jewish desert demon

                                                   Azza an Uzza sidekicks

yet somehowHA he didnt think the colourfullytattooed young white man saw him through his rear and sideview mirrors sitting behind the wheel of the matte camo Toyota Tundra was thinking religion when he purchased his very cool personalised California license plate his guess  he might have been playing with his cockenthralled by the teleporting Marvel mutant Daddy Claus of Kiwi Black and Nightcrawler 

                                                                 he groaned Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world he has to park his vehicle in front of my carport 

it was his turn to drive  a carpool

he walked alongside it rapped on the drivers window

                                                         Excuse me yare blocking my way

I’ll only be a moment.

Im on a clock Please fire it up move ahead let me out   Please

I said it’ll only be a moment.

                              he went back to fingerig his cellphone 

hard to imagine inland offroad road rage   in a parking lot

                                                                I have a huge rear steel bumper on my 4Wheel 4Runner  They made them that way long ago  Ya werent there Ya pulled up behind me I didnt see you   Pretty paint job

     Your decision

he walked in front of the Tundra to his 4Runner unlocked his door with a key  got in started his engine warmed it as he always did heard the tempothe RPMs fall off put her into Reverse and rolled

     it was a nice paint job

it still is

     too bad Courtesy had to be so grimdidnt play nicer

           too early in the morning

 

1342,  Thursday,  14  4. 22

2017,  Easter Sunday,  17  4. 22

the telephone rang in the middle of the night

                                             he lunged from unconsciousbound out of bed to the hardwood floorbound up the hall twostepstops to the studySNATCHED the receiver from the cradleHELLO cant help but be alarmed  

  his brother

              since his mother died his brother had picked up her mantle  the Harbinger of Death and Doom and Destruction he didnt invite any of them to an orgy despite them temptingcoercing him with Immortality  Immortality vs. a Four Hot Chick That He Knew Of orgy NAH

                         turned them around tapped them on the fanny  Seeya when I seesya

when a soul tries to bribe ya

not a good person

really dumb idea

turn them around

kickem in the ass

kickem in the ass for me    

  Yes brother

I am sorry to call and tell you  Uncle Earl passed away earlier this morning.

                                                                                their usual exchange HEY MUTHAFUCKER HOW YA DOIN

               sometimes he salted it up HEY MUTHAFUCKER HOWS IT SWINGIN . . HOW ARYA BALLS  tender Brotherly Love Endorsements Let the party-line quims fantasise on Blue-to-Busting Balls or Long Dong Johnny Wadd Holmesesque  looks a bit like Frankenstein don it   Crazy crazy crazy

  Thank you

Of course, you’re welcome.

My love to everyone please

Of course  Happy to

Thank you  I love you

You’re welcome. I love you too.

                                       he listened to the hanged-up dialtone longer than he should have  his uncle was ninetysix   no matter  Death is eternal Death has that to brag about  Life has no choicecant bicker cant argue  Born. Gonna die.  dichotomy    harsh die-chotomy  he liked to think that some persona greeted him at the Pearly White Gates of Life and told him Listen up man . . Life’s a crapshootNO fuckin guarantees   And you die in the end, hero. 

I hear ya bro  Right on   Bring it 

 

D           I           A           L           T           O           N          E

with every family friends death his world grew smaller

WHY he owned books

theyre Immortal

they wouldntcouldnt? leave him

1324,  Easter Sunday,  17  4. 22

433 preferred to 1633,  Easter Sunday,   17  4. 22

The Association  Never My Love  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3lZqNVigWQ

The Hollies  He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mum5ra24bxE 

Edward faced him  looking east

                                   Ohman . .

he didnt have any idea what was over his shoulder but Edwards expression compelled himhe had to look

                                                                                                                Ohman he echoed

they looked out through the train window

That is a very old cemetery.

It certainly is

the headstones were tall some graves seemed welltended despite the thatch of brown grass scattered here and there polkadotted were vibrant coloured flowers too vibrant to be freshcut likely artificial

he didnt see visitors or mourners

How old is it do you think?

looking across the 101 he was familiar with stretches of it he caught a glimpse of storefronts saw the tripod walking eye water tower Gonzales painted on its side

                                            This is Gonzales  Push came to shove Id guess it was foundedits existence was tied to the railroad depot ranchland cattle other livestock agriculture Eighties Maybe earlier  Cemeterys better than a hunred years old

it was gone  passed   

he turned back to Edward

                            Yasaw it was fenced in

I did, yes.

To keep dogs coyotes out

Out?

Hellyah ya don want them in the graveyard digging up old bones nawh do ya

  Edward was Chinese his halting blink over the muslincoloured beige Trump virus mask was something to behold 

Are you kidding me?

Think it was built to keep the dead in

                                        Anticipating the Zombie apocalypse

Chinese eyes he didnt think they opened that wide

                                                       You’re teasing me?

Cemeteries in Ottawa fenced in he learned during their ride from San Jose Didiron Station that was where Edward was raised after his family immigrated from Taiwan

I do not know, I’ve never been, we have no family in Canada.

Theyre walled in in Chicago Got tons of family inside

                                                         Ya know    Catholic 

too wideeyed

              he couldnt keep looking at Edward was going to lose his shit

casually he turned his gaze through the window again

saw a handpainted sign on a rusted old flatbed truck

                                                        CA$H FOR COFFIN 

couldnt have seen that right

     

     blinked  looked                                                Ah that was better

                           CA$H FOR PALLETS

 

he was going to have to visit the cemetery

had seen the exit sign 310

not a quarter mile off the 101

1342,  Twosday,  5  4. 22

1239,  Easter Sunday,  17  4. 22

  when he was a boy High Latin was served at Sunday Catholic Masses

                                                                             freaking mystical had he known the word at the time     

he accompanied his grandmother to church sucker

                                                     he didnt critically think through that

missed Flash Gordon serials airing those mornings on television  frankly to a boy that ought to have been grounds for sainthood  particularly when he later learned a man a Grand Inquisitor who lorded over tortures executions of heretics chronicling each and every victim maintaining lists of families and extended friendships  he was canonised a saint

    Dammit 

             Church suddenly wasnt worth the milk and homemade cookies he enjoyed afterwards

just didnt think it through

                           then  he was a boy

though the experiences were mesmerising

                                             between his grandmother whos native tongue was Polishwho managed broken English and Latin and from the altar and from the sober adults  their choreographed brisk stand ups sit downs on your knees chants hymns chubby hymnals all the proverbial RahRahs Go Team Go  he was rightfully awed by the strange nonsensical sounds emanating from adults throats

                                                              that and they  the humongous Christ crucified hanging behind the celebrant maybe He didnt learn his lessons either corporal punishment was a thing in Chicago schools  and to his fertile imagination there wasnt much of a leap between ruthless cracks on the knuckles times when he pulled his hand away in the nick of time and went to laugh he was cracked across the face with a wooden yardstickYAH there wasnt a leap between cracked knuckles spankings dunce caps and crucifixions

                                                                      NONE  ZIP

but he grew up

his sainted grandmother died  she was a peach plus

then he caught wind of Vulgar Latin  from vulgaris  from vulgus common people maybejust maybe  had Vulgar Latin been used to celebrate Mass an orgy or two might have broken out in the pews

                                                                             maybe that was a kind of church which might have allured him  

when he was young churches were left unlocked at night

                                                            he couldnt count the times during winter he took girls inside to make out  it was warmer 

                            he notched up degrees

only got caught once

didnt know the young outraged priest

might have been a good thing

                               “Now turn to your neighbour and extend a sign of piece.” Pax tecum Piece be with you

Yeah baby yeah!!!

Momma didnt raise no prude     

1526,  ReggaeFriday,  15  4. 22

1729,  Saturday,  16  4. 22

Austin Powers  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBHKVAs85Ko 

I thought you were a woman! 

                              the woman who criedso walked on a path below where they hikedwere concluding it

the day had grown warmer and warmer 

they hadnt expected it

Moby stripped off his tshirt as they nearer the ridge barechested

he hadnt he liked the heat

                              Whadid she say Moby walked some threefour meters behind him She talking to us

   Yes.  Me.

You Whad she say

I thought you were a woman.

She thought you were a woman Yare wearing a baseball capChrist almost hides your haircut

That’s what she said.

You said something to her

I did, I asked if she meant it as good or bad.

hed seen her shake her head and keep walking

And

I don’t know, she didn’t say.

he thought When something goes without saying its nice when someone doesnt say

1439,  ReggaeFriday,  15  4. 22

1439,  Saturday,  16  4. 22

Power Station  Some Like It Hot  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw1t7OCESUw

  brain hemispheres

                       when he asked him which one he identified with most right or left  Moby shruggeddidnt say

Yare not sayin

No.

No Curious  Its your mindyour thought process  One would think youd know

Trying to squeeze me?

Squeeze youyafuckin kiddin me

                                  Its your mind  Not knowingnot saying doesnt cut it

Awright, rather I should have said I’m feeling squeezed, feeling set upon.

Too damn bad Thats unfortunate ridiculous

                                               Yasaid one I don’t have to deal with it.  Yasaid two  I don’t want to think about it.

An I told you to replace think with work, I prefer . . I don’t want to work about it. 

No Work doesnt work not grammatically correct

                                                   Work isnt required works not involved Don try to make it sound laborious  It isnt

It isn’t according to you.

  Woudya stop

                 Seems to me yare tossing a coin Don have to deal with it Don want to think about it For someone whos concerned about their mental acuity brain function their memory as you purport I believe thinking about what yare doingyour decisions would be criticalwould be beneficial ifya challenged yourself to be mindful Instead ya hand it off to electronics let the gas company electric company mortgage company other entities help themselves to your bank account and trust they wont fuckup

                             They fuckup their fuckups usually benefit them an because yare so casual about it yamay or may not find their mistakes You in business of making interest-free loans to businesses who eventually on your dime on your time will admit Oops So sorry

I don’t want the hassle. I don’t want to write a check, have to find an envelope, a stamp, walk to the mailbox . .

. . So fucking inconvenienthuh Got to be mindful man

                                                          It ever occur to you why I know your kids grandkids birthdays an ya don

Flex that muscle in your skull

Yare becoming a simpleton

Not a good look on a Matchdotcom resume

1537,  ReggaeFriday,  15  4. 22

1052,  Saturday,  16  4. 22

he walked along the towns main thoroughfare  

had he walked it long enough it would take him across the railroad tracks the ironworked bridge over a subterranean river and beyond into hayfields livestock pastures stables barns and domiciles

                                                                                    Not something yasee every day 

he said it out loud to hear himself  

to verify he was conscious lucid awake

he read as he walked

ahead of him two women walked

he guessed Mexicans Latinas   jetblack hair their shortsleeved white tops contrasted with their coffeecoloured skin

the one nearest the street curbthe taller of the two also wore a deepblue vest at the distance between them he saw what must have been a floral pattern running down her spine collar to hem 

they walked faster than he were pulling away

he read more

glancing up to take in the lay of the land before him he saw the smaller woman the one to the right was shorter now

he mustnt had seen her right earlier

he went back to the book a fascination passage

                                                   One eye socket was slightly bigger with a spectacular-strange blue-white crystal-marble orb in its bony casing, quite a masterpiece of ocular artistry, a tiny supernova of light and line, woven in jagged color, radiating out from a pupil that was not round. This ragged pupil was a hole light used to enter the mule.

looking up again

                  the women were holding hands the smaller women was shorter yet  and younger  what had been long braids were pigtails now

were his eyes playing tricks on him theyd been known to fuck with himmess with his mind he reset  looked down then back up

      NO was seeing what he was seeing they were pulling away from him their steps cadence quicker than his  they walked with purpose he was strolling  reading 

he began reading again

they got into his headdistracted him he had to looked again 

                                                               the small one was now a child half the size of the woman in the vest walking nearest the curb

he heard the bray of a truck

                              it emerged from a blind alley quicker than it should have  he startled the driver maybe because he was standing still at a stop short glaring at him he returned a sheepish expression its all fun an games until someone gets run over the look wouldnt have been sheepish if he kept walking the driver would have been horrified he wouldnt have been able to brake in time

he stepped backwaved the truck by

                                     they obviously needed to be somewhere   he didnt

it rolled past its tall dull white box obscured his vision

he looked after the women again

                                   could have knocked him sideways with hummingbird shit

the woman in the vest carried a baby he could see the crown of its head in the crook the elbow of her left arm

he stopped and watched her walk until the road veered right disappeared behind a row of hundredyearold live oaks

   he cleared his throat

                         he said Thats not something yasee every day

heard himself again

approximately 1440,  Thursday,  14  4. 22

1550,  Thursday,  14  4. 22

pg339  Pity the Beast  Robin McLean

they slowedstopped their vehicle in the middle of the quiet neighbourhood street to yak with the postman who was delivering mail from his truck

                               Mike! How the hell are you?

Hey guys, well I’m well, what’s with you two?

he sat in the passengers seat Moby carried the conversation

                                                                 Fine fine, hiked, had coffee, heading up to Joe’s for beers.

Sounds tasty, finish my route, get home, I’ll crack one, think of you boys.

Mike was a junior high student of Mobys small community

                                                               he grew up in Chicago  couldnt imagine relating again or even seeing teachers who taught him school was a revolving door for educators and students alike each were almost anonymous to the other once a yeartwo passed  ships in the night

                                                                      Mr Carter was different he lived in the neighbourhood lived on the same uptown block as the movie theater lived near enough they could beat ass to his place and lose the ushers who chased them their job to keep kids out who tried sneaking in

                                                                             it was a kick likely Mr Carter had his suspicions as they panted at his door  when he opened it they pushed in shutting the door quickly behind them Christ couldnt have felt more secure in his tomb than when the stone was rolled into its opening as they did when Carters door was shut tight

Well laddies . . upta something, abit o' mischief? who talks like that only the English

No sir

Come now, I was a lad once . . methinks you’re trying to blow smoke up my arse. 

arse they loved it who talked like that only Mr Carter

Yah a weebit of mischief Mr Carter he admitted the others cringed Blowin weebit a smoke nough to tickle fannies but donchanaw think fannies ought be tickled

Mr Carter furled his brow he had an expressive manytimesfolded brow  Ahyes lads, ya are funny.

 

a white pickup approached them from behind Mike it wouldnt be able to go around

Mike glanced in the rearview

Moby was in the middle of an old story if he didnt tell it all if he stopped he wouldnt remember where he stopped or what his point was

                     fortunately his stories werent usually entertaining  

with the whole of the windshield before him he saw inside the pickup where what looked like Mom an Pop  their teenaged daughter seated between them the parents looked none too enthused looked absolutely dour  the teenager was bright a twinkling lil light a firebug blinking in the night he couldnt help but smile she returned it

                                                                                                           Best move Moby 

I’m almost finished . .

. . Mike leaving you a real cliffhanger To be concluded next time eh

Catchya guys next time.

I’m almost done.

Later Mike he looked in Mobys ear  Drive

I was almost fin . .

. . Were not holding up traffic on account of an old story about a pickup bball game

                                                                                        shaking his head he returned his gaze through the windshield  he recognised the girl ahyes Betty Boop she grinned bigger wha a cutie her old man glowered so did her Maw  bookends

                                       Whell shit

as they pulled forwardpassed nodded to them acknowledging their patience Moby asked Well shit what?

I know her Betty  Shes got a bit of a belly 

Who’s Betty?

Teenager in the truck Seen her around Theyre up a few houses on the opposite side of the road from my place Ran into her a weektwo past as I walked an read   she asked me How do you do that? she seemed humoured by it   Years of practise I told her I noticed her bump she was wearing a shortie top her midriff exposed tight belly I asked Howya do tha   her humour frothed to laughter Oh you know . . teaser, I’m showing it off because I wont have it long, my parents aren’t letting me keep it.

Her parents . . I recognise them.

Yado

Yeah I do. This is queer. I’ve seen them at church down the road from my place; buddy buddy with the priest.

Whell could suppose a good thing to be nearer God

Nearer God? You don’t believe.

I don They do

Yes they do.

Wonder how many votive candles theyre going to have to light

Votive candles?

Confession absolve sin  From the Latin votum  promise dedication   prayer

                                                                                 Can imagine theyll have to keep a firehose nearby

Jesus.

Paints an innarestin picture    

1607,  Thursday,  27  1. 22

1143,  Thursday,  14  4. 22

https://aleteia.org/2017/07/30/why-do-catholics-light-votive-candles/