Hesitancy has replaced the voice of god and divine hallucination is lost. mute appeals to unworkable gods as the flood waters rise. Is tragedy only found in expectation? If only less of the chaos was known if it wasn’t so apparent maybe then this is an epic sung instead of a farce of noises… Continue reading Empty throne – notes
\ Because of money that he only nominally deserved and the existence of which gave him embarrassment, J. has become, obliquely, a cheap son of a bitch. But confronted with the long line in front of the art museum on a cold morning, he decides to buy an annual membership rather than wait. After all … Continue reading Ekphrasis (working)
He is thinking mostly of himself as he turns left off Jackson and onto Lake Shore Drive. The first selection of the playlist is finishing and the one for which he was waiting begins. He has waited many years for this song to start in the context he has created today; a particular piece of… Continue reading Are you going with me?
“Where are you?” Jon’s voice filled James’ Mercedes. “On Madison.” “Downtown already?” “No on the West Side. It’s slower than the expressway, but gives me more certainty. There’s a lot of lights but little traffic. I’ll be there right on time. I have a call at 9.” He heard Jon sigh. “Yeah I am just… Continue reading Certainty
Margaret is up early, walking east after leaving the little doughnut shop on Chicago avenue. Hot coffee finds her lips sleepy and she all but dribbles it down her front. “Very lady like.” But there is some comfort in the slight burn. Coffee to her tastes best out of a styrofoam cup through a half … Continue reading Chicago Avenue
this story should be read after ‘Scars and other metaphors’ – see below “Hey, don’t be an idiot. The water doesn’t stay warm.” Ingrid called from the bathroom. Jose languished in the bed, naked, sticky. He wanted to be in the bath. He needed to be in the bath. He wanted to be in the… Continue reading Bubble Bath
“Jesus, we could barely see.” “And that friend of Steve’s, the mechanic, or whatever he was, he was sweet on you. Thought he was smooth” “He was so greasy. Richard Gerehead.” “The four of us drove to that all night rib place on the south side. They had that bulletproof glass with the turnstile … Continue reading The Joneses – working
Nora finished bringing the flowers onto the back porch and made sure the back door locked behind her. She went to the kitchen sink to wash her hands. She drew them back immediately after putting them under the stream of water, thinking that the water was hot. She realized instead the water wasn’t warm but… Continue reading Bell Street
Low tide retreated out so it seemed like you could walk all the way to Boston. Zeb meandered in a different direction than Mike and Sean and they were now a hundred yards away, unsuccessfully stalking clam beds. Their behavior was exaggerated, a pantomime of something and Zeb figured they were laughing, and he… Continue reading Malachi
Fran finished another beer. He stared at Marina who sat opposite him, yammering with her friend on the sofa. She turned in full profile so that the fineness of her brow, her nose and chin was apparent. Contemplating her features had been the best of a limited selection of diversions for two or so… Continue reading Bogota
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