Sunday, July 9, 2006

coffee at Barnes & Noble

I am killing time
reading Bukowski on tangerines
turning an engine over turning an engine over

this lady's laugh is like that
sputtering, rhythmic, weak, regular
if she doesn't want us to hear she should whisper less loudly.

How can such a falsely bright and animated voice be so boring?

This latte is deceiving me.
Cool white foam on top and searing black coffee from the fire in the
belly in the bottom of the cup.

Even her blouse is passive-aggressive. Red wannabe.
Cloying pink.
Citric.

The book she leaves on the table:
Making the Grade: Everything Your First-Grader Needs to Know.

Poor kid.

Friday, July 7, 2006

Feline Marketing 101

I was just buying cat food.

There was cat food with real chicken, real turkey, real lamb, real beef, real tuna.

I've never seen my cat go after a cow or a lamb or a turkey.

Why don't they make cat food with things cats might actually stalk?

CAT FOOD WITH REAL SONGBIRD.
CAT FOOD WITH REAL MOUSE.

This doesn't make sense to me.

Thursday, July 6, 2006

Self-Defense

The Scene: a local community center with a suspended, indoor track. On one side is a large room, and lots of little tow-headed boys in white are hopping around, preparing for their Tae Kwan Do class. My friend and I are doing an afternoon power walk.

She: You know, I should take a self-defense class...

rhythmic sound of our feet in step on the track, sound of our breathing...

I: Yes, I've thought about that, too. Why would you be interested?

She: Oh, you know, to protect myself. Why haven't you ever taken a class?

walk, walk, walk, walk...

I: Good question. I think it's because I've never found a class called Self-Defense Against Your Own Internal Demons.

laugh, laugh, laugh, walk, walk, walk, walk...sound fades...