Thursday, May 10, 2012
Clippers, Floppers, Blake Griffin and Mr. Harkins.
"Mr. Harkins, everything is all good in the universe today," said Ray.
Jim Harkins nodded his head and said, "yep."
They sat on a green couch in a small apartment.
"Ray, why do those grown men roll around on the court and act like they are hurt?"
"You know I don't like to cuss, but they are just little bitches. You would think if they were so freaking good they wouldn't have to flop."
"Floppers, huh."
"Yeah, floppers," Ray said as he turned the volume up on the old TV.
Lilies left for Wyoming that day at 10:21 am.
"Are you going to be lonely with Lilies not coming around?"
"I am, but today just feels like a good day, like everything is going to be alright. You know I don't have that feeling of impending doom and I am going to be alight and you are going to be alright and the world is going to be alright."
"Yep yep"
The men heard two neighbors fighting above them. The floor creaked.The TV announcer was complaining about Blake Griffin flopping.
"Sometimes random thoughts just pop in my head," said Mr Harkins.
"Like what?"
"I was just watching the game and I thought of Allison Tallpole from my high school in Alabama. No reason whatsoever, just a picture of her popped in my head. I haven't thought about her in thirty years at least."
Ignored in the background...."Chis Paul gets fouled, and he is holding his mouth......"
"Maybe the place where you store the word flop in your brain is close to where you store the memory of her," Ray turned the volume down and looked towards Harkins, "Every time I thought of this kid I use to know from my high school I would soon there after think of Overton Park and Poplar."
"I don't understand what you are saying, but that Allison was sure something." Harkins paused for a second, "I do know where that intersection is though."
"I just meant that maybe the memories are close in your head. You store that stuff somewhere right? I put Ed Langston in one place in my brain, and the next spot held my memory of the Overton Park entrance. Maybe they bleed over or my mind just checks the next few blocks to see it got the whole thought."
"You think Lilies will ever return to Memphis?" said Mr. Harkins changing the subject.
"Maybe, but I hope everything works out for her out there in those hills."
"I feel really good too today for some reason," said Mr. Harkins.
"Dem dere rockies," Ray said in a strange unrealistic accent.
Mr Harkins spoke in fake accent too, "She gunna live is those hills, under a big ol' rock. Yes she is."
Ray laughed out loud never hearing Harkins talk like that.
The men watched the TV as Griffin rolled around on the court holding his face.
Friday, April 20, 2012
More Old Man
Jim was quiet in high school, his friends called him little Hitler because he had a small mustache. He was interested in library science and planned on going to the University of Alabama.
--
A dirty apartment on belvedere street. Hardwood floors, bad smells and two men with a large age difference sitting on a couch.
"I will never understand women, Mr Harkins." I said looking down from the ceiling.
"Brad, me neither. I want them all to explode."
I laughed, "Some mess. There would be blood, puss, bones, hair, and teeth on everything."
"It would be worth it," said Mr. H.
There was loud thunder outside and it was getting dark through the blinds; we were sitting on my green crusted couch and I got up to turn on the lamp.
"I'm hungry, you want to make something to eat or go somewhere?" I asked standing in front of him.
"Brad, I saw a woman explode in the war."
I sat and we stared into nothing. I waited for him to continue.
"I was in the Korean war in '56, and we were having rec time in the jungle."
"You were in the Korean war? You have never mentioned that." I said.
"I've never mentioned a lot of things."
"Ok, well go on, but I didn't think Korea had jungles."
"Brad, Korea has a lot of things, hidden things, things people have never seen or heard of."
I gave a nervous laugh, and stared at the floor as he spoke.
"My platoon was in the Jungle, they were all drinking beer and I was drinking milk, they were throwing up their hands, and I was praying on my knees, they were cussing, and I was wishing I was back in Alabama."
Bella ran into the room and stopped in front of Mr. Harkins. A quintessential Doberman pincher sitting on it's back legs staring as Mr. Harkins as he spoke.
"We hadn't heard a peep out of the enemy for over two weeks, and we didn't know if they was any of them left to even fight us. The men wanted action, and I just wanted to go home to Elizabeth."
"Your wife?" I asked.
"Yeah, my wife back home in Birmingham. We was sitting there and it started to rain and didn't quit until about 2200 hundred hours; see that's military time, Brad."
"I know, uh, 10:00 pm, right?"
" No, it's 8:00 pm, but close.
All of sudden that rain stopped and Sargent Bill told us all to hit the ground and we did.
I went face first, cigarette still in my mouth and I remember the sizzle as the lite end was extinguished in the mud.
We just lied their listening to the jungle, staring into the dark green.
I wasn't too interested in whatever they wanted to kill or see so I rolled on my back and watched as the moon became visible through the clouds.
It was a huge moon, slightly obscured by the tops of the trees.
I remember it like it was yesterday, Brad.
Taking in that clean rain smell eventhough I was laying in mud and muck.
My hands and back were wet and it was soaking through my pants.
Blooms of color exploded in my vision and I was in a new world. One second I was laying in mud staring at the moon and the next I was watching bursting swatches tear into a thousand drops and remerge in a cycle of colors. The dark green jungle became purples and blues, and reds, and oranges, and all those colors mixed together turning around and coming back to where they started. A sky of color. A world of color.
As quick as they came, the colors left and I was back in the jungle laying on my back with the smells and the moon.
I rolled over on my side and began to speak but as soon as I opened my mouth the colors came back in an even brighter array.
Images started to appear in the patterns, women, men, but strangely shaped like you would assume the color purple or orange would be if it could be any form. Rainbows of drops and showers of color. This seemed to go on a lifetime. It really felt like I watched this happen for eighty year; the colors and shapes were always different and I knew time was passing but my attention was fully focused. One of the most clearly remembered of the images, was a woman.. She took up my full vision. She was oriental and had oriental clothes and such and they were of an ordinary color; not like the rest of the visions and she held out her hand to me. I started to reach for her and my arms and fingers were colors and right before we touched, just right before my colors and her hand were about to unite.
Brad I'm serious, I have never felt or understood anything like this in my life, and I have never mentioned it to a soul.
Right before we touched, a little envelope floated across our paths. It was kinda like a cartoon and it danced as it went by. Both the Oriental woman and I stared as it slowed bounced between us. It even had carton like lines behind and to the side of it to emphasize its movement. The letter slowly bounced its way into a letter box; like you would see in a neighborhood or a suburb of Memphis. The mailbox shut its door, and I heard the most incredible thunder of a voice. And Brad, remember this is 1956 or 57 in the middle of the Korean jungle, and the terrible God like voice said, "You got mail." and the woman exploded into a billion colors in every direction."
I laughed and Mr. Harkins looked at me sternly.
"I am not telling a joke, Brad. That's what I heard. I wrote it in my diary after I woke up, and that's not all; when I did wake the following morning, all my men were dead."
I laughed and hoped Mr. H was going to laugh, but he didn't. He just stared at my seriously.
Bella was now looking at me and began a low growl.
"God told me I had mail and saved my life in that horrible place."
I didn't know where to look or what to say, so I said,
"That's really interesting."
"You are damn right it is," said Mr. Harkins.
That was the first time I ever heard Mr. Harkins cuss, I realized he must think he is serious.
"Brad, God showed me email in 1956. I could have made a fortune when I got back home, but I got hooked on amphetamines and America Online stole my idea years later."
Bella barked.
--
A dirty apartment on belvedere street. Hardwood floors, bad smells and two men with a large age difference sitting on a couch.
"I will never understand women, Mr Harkins." I said looking down from the ceiling.
"Brad, me neither. I want them all to explode."
I laughed, "Some mess. There would be blood, puss, bones, hair, and teeth on everything."
"It would be worth it," said Mr. H.
There was loud thunder outside and it was getting dark through the blinds; we were sitting on my green crusted couch and I got up to turn on the lamp.
"I'm hungry, you want to make something to eat or go somewhere?" I asked standing in front of him.
"Brad, I saw a woman explode in the war."
I sat and we stared into nothing. I waited for him to continue.
"I was in the Korean war in '56, and we were having rec time in the jungle."
"You were in the Korean war? You have never mentioned that." I said.
"I've never mentioned a lot of things."
"Ok, well go on, but I didn't think Korea had jungles."
"Brad, Korea has a lot of things, hidden things, things people have never seen or heard of."
I gave a nervous laugh, and stared at the floor as he spoke.
"My platoon was in the Jungle, they were all drinking beer and I was drinking milk, they were throwing up their hands, and I was praying on my knees, they were cussing, and I was wishing I was back in Alabama."
Bella ran into the room and stopped in front of Mr. Harkins. A quintessential Doberman pincher sitting on it's back legs staring as Mr. Harkins as he spoke.
"We hadn't heard a peep out of the enemy for over two weeks, and we didn't know if they was any of them left to even fight us. The men wanted action, and I just wanted to go home to Elizabeth."
"Your wife?" I asked.
"Yeah, my wife back home in Birmingham. We was sitting there and it started to rain and didn't quit until about 2200 hundred hours; see that's military time, Brad."
"I know, uh, 10:00 pm, right?"
" No, it's 8:00 pm, but close.
All of sudden that rain stopped and Sargent Bill told us all to hit the ground and we did.
I went face first, cigarette still in my mouth and I remember the sizzle as the lite end was extinguished in the mud.
We just lied their listening to the jungle, staring into the dark green.
I wasn't too interested in whatever they wanted to kill or see so I rolled on my back and watched as the moon became visible through the clouds.
It was a huge moon, slightly obscured by the tops of the trees.
I remember it like it was yesterday, Brad.
Taking in that clean rain smell eventhough I was laying in mud and muck.
My hands and back were wet and it was soaking through my pants.
Blooms of color exploded in my vision and I was in a new world. One second I was laying in mud staring at the moon and the next I was watching bursting swatches tear into a thousand drops and remerge in a cycle of colors. The dark green jungle became purples and blues, and reds, and oranges, and all those colors mixed together turning around and coming back to where they started. A sky of color. A world of color.
As quick as they came, the colors left and I was back in the jungle laying on my back with the smells and the moon.
I rolled over on my side and began to speak but as soon as I opened my mouth the colors came back in an even brighter array.
Images started to appear in the patterns, women, men, but strangely shaped like you would assume the color purple or orange would be if it could be any form. Rainbows of drops and showers of color. This seemed to go on a lifetime. It really felt like I watched this happen for eighty year; the colors and shapes were always different and I knew time was passing but my attention was fully focused. One of the most clearly remembered of the images, was a woman.. She took up my full vision. She was oriental and had oriental clothes and such and they were of an ordinary color; not like the rest of the visions and she held out her hand to me. I started to reach for her and my arms and fingers were colors and right before we touched, just right before my colors and her hand were about to unite.
Brad I'm serious, I have never felt or understood anything like this in my life, and I have never mentioned it to a soul.
Right before we touched, a little envelope floated across our paths. It was kinda like a cartoon and it danced as it went by. Both the Oriental woman and I stared as it slowed bounced between us. It even had carton like lines behind and to the side of it to emphasize its movement. The letter slowly bounced its way into a letter box; like you would see in a neighborhood or a suburb of Memphis. The mailbox shut its door, and I heard the most incredible thunder of a voice. And Brad, remember this is 1956 or 57 in the middle of the Korean jungle, and the terrible God like voice said, "You got mail." and the woman exploded into a billion colors in every direction."
I laughed and Mr. Harkins looked at me sternly.
"I am not telling a joke, Brad. That's what I heard. I wrote it in my diary after I woke up, and that's not all; when I did wake the following morning, all my men were dead."
I laughed and hoped Mr. H was going to laugh, but he didn't. He just stared at my seriously.
Bella was now looking at me and began a low growl.
"God told me I had mail and saved my life in that horrible place."
I didn't know where to look or what to say, so I said,
"That's really interesting."
"You are damn right it is," said Mr. Harkins.
That was the first time I ever heard Mr. Harkins cuss, I realized he must think he is serious.
"Brad, God showed me email in 1956. I could have made a fortune when I got back home, but I got hooked on amphetamines and America Online stole my idea years later."
Bella barked.
Private Prison 2011
Where I went in 2011
February: Decatur Alabama 3 days, conference on youth violence.
April: Panama City 4 days, conference on antisemitism.
June:Petite Jean State Park 5 days vacation with brown haired girlfriend. See previous picture.
September: San Diego 6 days World Conference on childhood hunger.
October Little Rock 2 days Softball tournament.
November Knoxville 3 days Thanksgiving retreat for disabled veterans.
December Gainsvile Florida 4 days Young fly fishermen of America.
Green blobs float through the sky, and I notice cows on the hill while not noticing the brake lights in front of me.
Screech of tires, air past my teeth, three weeks late.
I asked her where she had been and she said in smart voice, "i was at my mom's eating turkey."
I asked, "was it turn key?"
She said, "fuck you"
Fuck you.
"Do you really fish?"
"Yeah, why is that weird?"
'Aren't you vegetarian?"
My sister sent me a text today that said "....biopsy report was necrotic tissue with bacteria and some fungus."
Sounds gross on your tongue.
February: Decatur Alabama 3 days, conference on youth violence.
April: Panama City 4 days, conference on antisemitism.
June:Petite Jean State Park 5 days vacation with brown haired girlfriend. See previous picture.
September: San Diego 6 days World Conference on childhood hunger.
October Little Rock 2 days Softball tournament.
November Knoxville 3 days Thanksgiving retreat for disabled veterans.
December Gainsvile Florida 4 days Young fly fishermen of America.
Green blobs float through the sky, and I notice cows on the hill while not noticing the brake lights in front of me.
Screech of tires, air past my teeth, three weeks late.
I asked her where she had been and she said in smart voice, "i was at my mom's eating turkey."
I asked, "was it turn key?"
She said, "fuck you"
Fuck you.
"Do you really fish?"
"Yeah, why is that weird?"
'Aren't you vegetarian?"
My sister sent me a text today that said "....biopsy report was necrotic tissue with bacteria and some fungus."
Sounds gross on your tongue.
Friday, January 20, 2012
old man harkins and the mysterious dog leash.
"Please God, help me maintain my integrity, help me to stop bad mouthing everyone, please help me and Lilias get along, please please help me learn to enjoy this dog....of course if its your will dear Lord. Thank you for saving me from that old life, in your loving name, amen."
Knock knock, I got off my hands and knees -praying like a Muslim and went to open the door.
It was Saturday morning around 9 am.
I knew it must have been Beverly from the Jehovah's Witness place down on Cleveland or it was Mr. Harkins wanting help with his computer. Really wasn't in the mood for either.
I opened the door to Lilias standing there and she looked pissed.
She was holding our dog Bella, a doberman pinscher puppy, and imeaditly handed her to me.
"I've had it, I've fucking had it. I hate this fucking dog. I didn't get 20 minutes of sleep last night because of her. You want to give her away, go right ahead."
Bella started trying to lick my face and I put her down.
"Baby, what the fuck, you wanted the goddamn dog, you went and fucking picked her out and now you don't want her."
We heard Mr. Harkins door unlock from across the hall, and I motioned for her to come inside quick.
"No, I don't want to even be around that damn dog, she tore up my favorite shoes and attacked Pants."
Pants was the name of her dog, a brown and black yorkie that's fur looked like it was wearing pants.
Mr. Harkins peaked out of 1 A, and said, "Brad is everything ok?"
"Yeah Mr. H. we are discussing Bella again."
Lilias said, "Not anymore," and started walking up the wide wooden stairs to her apartment.
"Baby please don't do this," I said as she just kept walking.
I walked back in my apartment and Mr. Harkins followed. I noticed for the first time he was carrying an old leash but I didn't ask. We sat on opposite ends of my crusted green couch and watched Bella staring at the fish aquirum.
I asked, "What do you think she is thinking about?"
"Oh Brad, women are just like that, I won't ever understand them."
I laughed, "no Bella, I wonder what she is thinking about looking at those fish."
"She probably thinking about breakfast."
I faked laughed.
"Brad, when I was a boy I had a dog named Spot and it died, and then I got a dog named scrapper and it got hit by a car and then I got a dog named skipper and my mother gave it away."
Bella barked at the goldfish and then ran into the other room.
"I hate that dog," I said.
"When I was married to Johnny's mother we had a dog together and I really believe that's what ruined our marriage."
"Weren't you guy only married for 6 months?"
"Yeah, I put my hands on her."
"You got married, got her preggers, and then got a divorice in 6 month?."
"Yeah, it was different in those days."
Bella ran into living and tired to jump up on couch but missed, fell over backwards and quickly turned right side up.
"She's a good girl, aren't you a good girl," said Mr. Harkins.
Bella started to go behind the tv and fight the wires.
"Bella," I screamed, "come her Bella, treat."
She looked up at me and went back to biting. I got up and picked her up and brought her to the couch.
We heard Lilias stomping around upstairs.
"If I could get rid of her and that dog in the same move I think I would be doing alright." I said.
"Brad, I've lived at 72 North Belevedere for on and off for eighty years.-'
"But you are only 72?"
Brad, I was 72 the last time you ask me that, but it's been quite some time since we have even seen each other."
"Huh?"
Bella growled at old Man Harkins.
Knock knock, I got off my hands and knees -praying like a Muslim and went to open the door.
It was Saturday morning around 9 am.
I knew it must have been Beverly from the Jehovah's Witness place down on Cleveland or it was Mr. Harkins wanting help with his computer. Really wasn't in the mood for either.
I opened the door to Lilias standing there and she looked pissed.
She was holding our dog Bella, a doberman pinscher puppy, and imeaditly handed her to me.
"I've had it, I've fucking had it. I hate this fucking dog. I didn't get 20 minutes of sleep last night because of her. You want to give her away, go right ahead."
Bella started trying to lick my face and I put her down.
"Baby, what the fuck, you wanted the goddamn dog, you went and fucking picked her out and now you don't want her."
We heard Mr. Harkins door unlock from across the hall, and I motioned for her to come inside quick.
"No, I don't want to even be around that damn dog, she tore up my favorite shoes and attacked Pants."
Pants was the name of her dog, a brown and black yorkie that's fur looked like it was wearing pants.
Mr. Harkins peaked out of 1 A, and said, "Brad is everything ok?"
"Yeah Mr. H. we are discussing Bella again."
Lilias said, "Not anymore," and started walking up the wide wooden stairs to her apartment.
"Baby please don't do this," I said as she just kept walking.
I walked back in my apartment and Mr. Harkins followed. I noticed for the first time he was carrying an old leash but I didn't ask. We sat on opposite ends of my crusted green couch and watched Bella staring at the fish aquirum.
I asked, "What do you think she is thinking about?"
"Oh Brad, women are just like that, I won't ever understand them."
I laughed, "no Bella, I wonder what she is thinking about looking at those fish."
"She probably thinking about breakfast."
I faked laughed.
"Brad, when I was a boy I had a dog named Spot and it died, and then I got a dog named scrapper and it got hit by a car and then I got a dog named skipper and my mother gave it away."
Bella barked at the goldfish and then ran into the other room.
"I hate that dog," I said.
"When I was married to Johnny's mother we had a dog together and I really believe that's what ruined our marriage."
"Weren't you guy only married for 6 months?"
"Yeah, I put my hands on her."
"You got married, got her preggers, and then got a divorice in 6 month?."
"Yeah, it was different in those days."
Bella ran into living and tired to jump up on couch but missed, fell over backwards and quickly turned right side up.
"She's a good girl, aren't you a good girl," said Mr. Harkins.
Bella started to go behind the tv and fight the wires.
"Bella," I screamed, "come her Bella, treat."
She looked up at me and went back to biting. I got up and picked her up and brought her to the couch.
We heard Lilias stomping around upstairs.
"If I could get rid of her and that dog in the same move I think I would be doing alright." I said.
"Brad, I've lived at 72 North Belevedere for on and off for eighty years.-'
"But you are only 72?"
Brad, I was 72 the last time you ask me that, but it's been quite some time since we have even seen each other."
"Huh?"
Bella growled at old Man Harkins.
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