I was thinkingWhat?

   had sprung his eyes widetilted his head Thas got to hurt

Are you shitting me?

No

     Not one of your strong suits Thinkinpuzzlin requires immersion slivers of cognition thawoud lacerate your admitted don want to work tha hard I can only do one thing at a time which have grown worse over the time Ive known you

     Truth be known

And your cogniti . .

. . Exceeds yours

                    But Im more than amiablewilling to give it time  Im younger than you by three years Theres time to match you

Whawere ya thinkin

   I don’t know if I want to share now.

You don know questioning

                               Or yadon know admission

Jesus. What’s with you?

So quick to take defense cant take a barb

                                                 Whas with you

You attacked.

   Thas got to hurt

                     Miss the facial head gesturesgymnastics tha preceded the remark

Fuckin thinskinned

                     But

Truth be known I know tha Yare easy to bug

                                                    Whawere you thinking  You recall

See.   See.

No

You push me off my mark on some tangent, confuse, frustrate me . .

. . Anwha you were thinkin goes out of your head

Kinda.

         I’ll recall.

   I got time

I’ll remember.

   We were discussing  Arduously

YES.

      Discussing. Heated.

Im not heated

Well ya got me heated.

Yare easy to heat

                    Wha

I remember.

 

I thought you were going to say something.

Im listening

             Woud hate to throw you off track again

Discussing. You said arduously. We were arguing, having an argument. I thoughtwas thinking, wondering, how many people would take the word argument as a fight rather than a debate.

You did

But not usually.

No

We usually have an argument . .

. . Discourse

Yes.

     What percent of people have discourse about . . about . . . cerebral things . . Jesus . that sounds haughty.

Im not sure were cerebral.

Science. Mathematics. Politics. Physics.

Were fond of them

                    People discuss enjoy wha theyre fond of Football Basketball Entertainment  Were entertaining ourselves

Whether they call it arguing an argument or not isnt a descriptor some demarcation

I . . . I think it is.

I disagree

353preferred,  Day-between-2-Ts,  7  2. 24

1201,  Super Bowl Sunday,  11  2. 24

was it was a good thing that the town librarians knew who he was

                                                                        by name first  last

he made a point of knowing theirsbut they wore badges he preferred calling people by namewas good at it they stuck in his brain like darts in a dartboard some perhaps hazy at the periphery but nice groupings inside the triple ring and bullseyes

there was some confusion with his patron account

                                                     patron

made one throw out their chest  pride

libraries deserve more patronage than they receive

                                                     hed point out National Ignorance  fiftythree percent of American adults ages sixteen to seventythree read at a fifth grade levelFIFTH GRADE

                                                                                 how old is a child in fifth

teneleven years old

                    TEN ELEVEN years oldCHRISTSSAKES

as far as he was concerned vocabulary writing mechanics theyre damn near illiterate

                                                                                               HALF OF AMERICA

he didnt even want to get started with their ability to regard history current events civics politics

                                                                                                     could they even use a dictionary or want to an encyclopedia or want to if a betting man an he wasnt hed lay money that those hampered individuals were content to do what theyre told to do

                                                        without question but how could they fifth graders lineup when they are told to

   it was good librarians knew his name

1510,  Saturday,  10  2. 24

1054,  Sunday,  11  2. 24

he must have forgot who he was talking to

                                                A good host    Thaswha you said

Yes.

   Woud you like to withdraw tha

Why would I do that?

In regard to our science backgrounds

Hosting, what does that have to do with science?

Im tossin you a bone

A bone?

          I don’t follow.

Thas unfortunate

                   Your blinders are on tightpulled down hard see neither left nor right up or down damn near blind

So if you woud please repeat yourself so I understand I understood you correctly

You know what I said.

Clarification  Accurancy

                           Im sure I did I want to be deliberate

Alright. Fine.

                What I said was I hope I am a good host. I enjoy her company. I enjoy her attention.

he nodded Thank you

                          I appreciate you repeating yourself Thaswha I heard

   You’re welcome.

                      What about science?

Science he stroked his chin

                             nodded thoughtfully  I think   I think Im gonna leave tha morsel to you to consider ifya want

Id bet you wont But thas up to you

I got to get going

                   Lemme know if we can have coffee next week My dance card is wide open as usual

   You’re not going to say.

Give it a thought

                  Send me a text next week Be cool   Ill seeya

Next week.

he stood tookup his empty paper cup and walking past the recycle receptacle gave it a little backhand flip Two points

from his canvasbag slung over his shoulder he took out a book  Other Minds The Octopus the Sea and the Deep Origins of Consciousness

                    science

host

parasite

Ahweel to himself before he began reading  He may believe hes in a symbiotic relationship

1919,  Monday,  5  2. 24

1850,  Saturday,  10  2. 24

https://www.google.com/search?q=host+--+parasite&rlz=1C1ILPI_enUS778US778&oq=host+--+parasite&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCTUyNThqMGoxNagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:33f551db,vid:g09BQes-B7E,st:0

   Muthafucker

                     buddy was unable to resist trying to irritate him with acronyms

long ago he learned to meet horseshit with his best corpseface  unflinching   blowflies crawling over it

he repeated himself evidently his corpsefeign wasnt gooddidnt convince him he was deaddeaf

                                                                                                         W W J D

what were they talkin about just prior

                                         he was a little high  helped him fake death 

   yes

buddys undying hardon for a woman he was seeing that dealt him a sheaf which hed describe as dealkillers  that he candidly refused to acknowledge

                                     I don’t know that.   You an idiot

he gave idiocy a face

buddy was defending her in his wildest dreams he hoped he was being facetious defending how she replied to difficult interfaces with others

                      W W J D

Youre really crediting her

Come on, smart, a step back, she’s able to step away, buy herself time . . allow herself uncontended breathing room.

To the situation you described   

   Yes.

No

     She sentient  She ought to know without taking a step back a breath  I cant imagine in her experience she hasnt contended with similar parallel applicable circumstances something shes handled prior  Ought to be on the tip of her tongue

        Or like yourself  forgetful

Faulty long term memory

Do you have to insult her?

You have to use some bizarre acronym shes madeup or assumedshared with you  that for reasons know only to yourself you use despite knowing Im utterly uninterested

                                                            Wannasay  I aint guessin

W. W. J. D. 

              What would Jesus do?  

She know Jesus

afternoon,  2sday,  30  1. 24

1355,  Saturday,  10  2. 24

Rodrigo Rodriguez  Come Back  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zgXDsBYmXU

Pensees  Dreaveler  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHhfgEx0ous 

he rarely dumbfounded him

they rarely agreed

made for a good friendship

. . . well of course he said  you know the five languages of love.

I do not

kneejerk reaction happened on his kisser looked uncomfortable

                                                             What do you mean you don’t. You read more than anyone I know.

This some selfhelp book you read

The Five Love Languages. It was the rage . .

. . For who  Idiots

What do you mean idiots?

Whadoes an idiot mean to youya read it

                                             Ya learn something you didnt know   Needed affirmation

We, my wife and I read it.

Whose idea

Whose idea?

You a mynabird  Speak

I don’t remember.

Thas safe

            You do have moments of intellect

Jesus. You on the rag?

No

   Do you want to know what they are?

You want to tell me he made a thing of slouching in his chaircrossing his arms over his chest

                                                                                             Speak

If you don . .

. . But you want to  So please

You’re acting like you know them already.

I do  Ive been in love however I have no need of labels  I just did them

What are they?

Theyre your languages

   Alright.

Thank you

In no particular order .  . acts of service . .

. . Curious your first  Excuse my interruption

he glared

he expected it

Acts of service. Words of affirmation. Physical touch. Gifts. Quality time spent together.

he clapped an clapped an clapped an clapped was irritating

                                                                You needed a book to tell you tha

Do you agree?

I agree might be one for the books

                                      I like how they came out rote  Were they an oath

What do you mean?

Is your wife able to recite them without hesitation as you just did

I’m sure she can.

When did this book of love come out

If I remember correctly . . . the Nineties.

Who wrote it 

I don’t remember his name.

You remember it was a man

Yes I do.

You remember his background  A psychologist

He wasn’t a psychologist.

What was he

I believe . . a minister . Baptist.

So he was a psychologist  He ministered administered

                                                             Learned of and attended to others needs

An he wasnt a priest so he could marry an probably was

I don’t know.

You didnt vet the man before you read his book

The book was well-received . .

. . You didnt vet him

                        Why woudya do tha

If I recommended a book to you . .

. . I woudnt necessarily read it

                                  Anya can bet your sweet ass Id find out who the author waswha his credentials were

he stammered

                  It was a good book.

A good selfhelp book I don read em

                                       Im beyond instruction have no need for teachers  If I don know something I have ample resources to learn

As long as you found sustenance good for you

   Sustenance?  that irritated him

Yah

1219,  2sday,  16  1. 24

1151,  Reggaefriday,  9  2. 24

Stick Figure  (feat. Collie Buddz)  Showdown  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEkhxMt2YtM

majority of his life

                     the people he loved most he had long distance relationships with

because he left

they stayed

                 he had a hard time believing they stayed

could understand his parents

their youth was during a different time a different world

his mothers parents were immigrants his fathers parents parents immigrated

they were steeped in Old World

                                  steeped

in profession of Family

                         traveled by car never left the United States

growingup he was steeped alike

but by the time he exited the teabag he was had been depleted  smelled tasted like hot water

he left to replenish himself

he had to admit

                      he did an excellent job

he visited

           but

he knew when he left that the people he loved most hed have long distance relationships with

the house phone rang

he put down his pen no distractions

                                      Hey Maw Yes  Good evening   How are you

                                                                                           Excuse me  So not to forget babe

I love you

 

1838,  Thursday,  8  2. 24

Korantemaa  By the time you’ve finished your coffee  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mj5JrBxwqA

he read falsus in uno falsus in omnibus

                                             repeated it out loud

she asked You say falsus in uno?

I did  An falsus . .

. . When are you going to let that go?

   Let go

Yes.

she was agitated seemed out of the blue

he smiled he was always smiling made people wonder what he was up to

                                                                         Im sure I don know wha youre thinkin

Please. sarcasm thick she didnt look good in thick sarcasm  he liked her better naked

Tell me

   You tell me.

It has something to do with falsus in uno 

                                            False in one thing

her head ticked to the side like a chicken eyeballing a crawly bug

                                                               False in one thing?

Yes  I concluded falsus in omnibus

                                      False in everything  Obviously Latin   Maxim

Hmmm.  Apt description for former president.

Yes I read it in a court transcript an hadnt a clue wha it meant

                                                                    Now we both know

Yes. Good to know.

Are you going to say

she blushed

Ya got a little agitated

   I did. I’m embarrasse . .

. . Not around me  Tha doesnt fly

                                        An no apology or sorry either

I hung my hat of Uno.

One

The . . . game.

he started smiling again

Don’t.

        Please.

I  cant  help myself

You bastard.

               she laughed didnt cover her mouth those gawddamn dimples  he wanted to crawl into one and fall asleep 

he loved them

Baby It was funny every time you cheated coud see it in your face

                                                                        Youre a lousy liar

   I’m trying to hone my skills.

An Im safe

she sighed

            And so much more . . so much more.

1231,  day-between-2-Ts,  7  2. 24

1254,  Thursday,  8  2. 24

Board of Canada  XYZ  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8qgy_3aW48

mucus curious

Couldnt help myself

   What did you do this time? You’re not in trouble?

Trouble

            Why trouble

Because you’re troubling. Same reason why I’m not confrontational.

Im confrontationa . .

. . And you’re the reason why I’m not. I had to spend my time watching your back.

Oooh

       Theres tha

There IS that.

               What couldn’t you help?

Mucus I had a sudden fascination

he sucked his tonguesounded like fingers snapping

                                                    Mucus.

What sent you truckin’?

   Curiosity

                Mucus curiousSay thas a phonaesthetic  Time to shame Tolkien again

You and your obsession with cellar door.

Know me well

Years and years of strict training. You’re unrelenting.

                                                          Maybe if I let you get knocked senseless a couple of times you wouldn’t have remained so belligerent . . anhad given me a break.

   Ah  Friendship

                    You wouldnt have wanted to lose my friendship Ive had your back

I know. I know.

   So  Mucus

                  Just popped into my skull no reasonnot a reason I coud anI tried to ascertain

I’m listening. You wanna tell.

I do . .

. . And don’t start off with you know . . I don’t.

Okay  Youll love thi . .

. . I won’t, you do.

   Yes  Therestha

                      Its a complex aqueous fluid thas cool huh Hadnt ever thought of it in that way

Ninetyfive percent water makes sense Were nothing but walkintalkin water balloons  Drop us off the top of a building onto concrete

                 Well make a splash

You and your fuckin’ visuals.

Seals the deal though don it

he groaned in his throatslightly shook his heads

                                               Ninetyfive percent water.

Yah

       Water with a mix of glycoproteins yacan figure tha out proteoglycans thatoo lipids ya know proteins ditto  an DNA Knock knock knockin on heavens door  You followed

I did.

Great

         Back to being a complex aqueous flui . .

. . I had no doubt you’d doubleback.

                                         To torment me.

he made a pussshook his head

                                No Sometimes yadon follow me get lost but donsay Thas frustrating An sometimesyah yadon recall earlier parcels of our conversation

Which, I’ll admit, you’ve spooky crazy recall.

Thank you

It’s that lightning bolt that just went over your head as a baby.

It is  I think so

I’ve no doubt. Spooky. Crazy. Recall. Memory.

                                                  I forget, you remember or you remind me.

Kindalike havin two of you

Kinda.

   You were sayin’ I’ve forgot.

Complex aqueous

Mucus.

I think its neat

What’s remains to be told?

Cool  It owes its I love this viscoelastic tellme thas not cool Its viscoelastic lubricating hydration ever think of mucus as hydration thall makeya drop your water bottle off the top of a tall building in a single bound

Jesus.

        Would you say Superman?

Thank you

            Its hydration properties to the glycoprotein visited tha earlier  glycoprotein mucin  I can go on about tha . .

. . No.

         Stick to hydration.

   Okay I told you I stepped in it  I coudnt help myself

You did. Continue.

   Thanks for not rolling your eyes

You’re welcome.

You rolled your eyes

You prompted me.

Maybe

        Maybe reminded you

Maybe.

           You were saying?

Mucin

        Mucin combined with electrolytes lipids other smaller proteins

Anthis is really cool

                      Electron microscopy of mucosal surfaces reveal a highly convoluted surface with a network of fibers and pores Varying sizes

Man, the shit that entertains you.

   One more thing

Will it interest me?

   Maybe

You gottasay you gotta tell me?

I do

hands wentup to either side of his head

                                       Tell me.

Mucins

Of course.

Mucins an mucinlike domains are involved in modulating immune response which harass you an inflammation which harrass me . .

. . Two Rs?

Yes Harrass me

                   An adhesion an tumorigenesis  Tumorigenesis  Tumor  Origin  Genesis   Cool

Means?

Known also carcinogenesis or oncogenesis

Cancer.

Bingo

        See how sharp you are

   Arya done?

                 I’m played out.

Yah  Ill buy ya a drink

OH hell no. 

             You’re buying me several for putting me through that.

 

2027,  2sday,  6  2. 24

1129,  Thursday,  8  2. 24

Board of Canada  Julie and Candy  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CfdWJ6BjF0

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28970050/#:~:text=Mucus%20is%20a%20complex%20aqueous,and%20pores%20of%20varying%20sizes.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/mucin#:~:text=Mucins%20are%20heavily%20O%2Dglycosylated,inflammation%2C%20adhesion%2C%20and%20tumorigenesis.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/medgen/3302#:~:text=Definition,from%20NCI%5D