Monday, December 09, 2002

we drank at an angle

we drank at an angle
unusual placement
newspapers covered the benches we sat on
newspapers covered with pictures of women
the benches were wet so we sat on the women
but that’s not my point
so the place was just the same as always
we sat together at the table
ranging freely - same as always
and others shared the outdoor air
a couple couples at some other
tables where we’d drunk before
and one young random soul among them
regulation specs and goatee
groomed and shod like anybody
muttering his way into
our conversation
undercurrents
we were talking about stemware
suddenly he was among us
something about getting plastic
for those who preferred a
transtemporal something
so Jared said Anyway
we kept on talking
then he was gone
and we questioned his reason
later we saw him conversing with others
he spoke quickly and cheerfully, delicate gestures
the others stood smiling politely or
sat with uncomfortable looks on their heads
and when he sat alone he’d have more conversations
his gestures less delicate
youthful face sneering
but he’d pull it together and quiet it down
and then he stood up as if someone had called him
and strode very normally over to us
hunker-haunched down at my shoulder and chuckled
looked me right in the eye and said Lemme just say something
none of us wanted that moment of silence
yet we were all curious, like we were watching
a horrible accident happen before us
what’s this psycho gonna tell us
so he starts to get into it
Worldwide peace is possible by christmas at the latest
(none of us have said a word)
You see, I asked my father - a professor -
asked him (- here he turns away
and shrugs a poignant little grimace)
Quite directly....
now our silence has derailed him
staring blank, one dozen sockets
six of us with looks of incredulity or challenge
I can’t believe you’re really saying
I dare you to keep on saying
that was when he got the picture
cast his eyes back to his finges
mumbling into his beard
That’s what I wanted to convey
he stood, his beer still barely touched,
and lumbered lightly up the steps
the air behind him reeked of shame
the conversation was restarted
same as always
but I couldn’t
thinking of a world in which
my mind could not be counted on
a million woards and passions roil
spawned in chemical imbalance
all you want is interaction
quiet moments shared in moonlight
what you get is lunacy
and stares of incredulity
so what is shared is what’s not wanted
Psycho find another victim
it’s time for me to count my blessings