Friday morning. July 17th. 77° F. 8:10 am.
Traffic? A lava flow.
I’m in the center lane between two tractor trailers. Behemoths. Wall to wall.
The Mind, a Raccoon, ever searching, digging, anxious.
Its beady eyes darting.
Its sharp claws twitching, digging in sh*t they shouldn’t be digging in.
Shiny tinsel flashes from the morning readings.
Fulghum: The examined life is no picnic.
Remarque: The less a man thinks of himself the better he is.
And on cue, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds strum their guitars to open Dancing Nancies.
Could I have been / A parking lot attendant
Could I have been / Lost Somewhere in Paris
Could I have been / Anyone other than me
A parking lot attendant? First job. Gas station attendant.
Paris? I’ll take just being in Paris, just once, lost or found.
And, ‘Could I have been / anyone other than me?’
Now, that is a question.
A copper colored Tesla jams his nose in the wee gap in front of me. I close the gap, with my nose within inches of his door panel. The mini cameras on the bumper trigger the sensors: Warning. Too Close. Too Close. He turns left to see my grill, and me, feeling the blast of natural heat. Oh, you know what you’re doing Friend. Save electricity with your Tesla. Burn me up.
I hit Dancing Nannies again, and we roll through the lyrics a second time.
Could I have been this.
Could I have been that.
Could I be this.
Could I be that.
Could I be More Tolerant. More Patient. More Peaceful. More Understanding. More Accepting. More Empathetic. More this. More that. Now that, is a question for a Package shaped by billions of nips and tucks – freshly poured concrete laying between the frames and settling.
I pull into the garage. Dancing Nancies has now looped 7x on the ride in. I turn up the volume: It’s Karaoke time. Dave Matthews brings it Home.
Could I have been / Anyone
Could I have been a dancing Nancy a dancing Nancy
Could I have been anyone other than me?I am who I am who I am well who am I
I am who I am who I am well who am I
Notes:
- Drawing: Olena Kassian
- Related Posts: Driving Series
Vintage Kanigan….Perhaps this will assuage…
http://janespatisserie.com/2015/04/16/salted-caramel-chocolate-tart/
Which part of this share helps with my sugar addiction and my weight control. Or are you here simply to build up my willpower?
Oh, I’m sorry, there seems to be some confusion here. I didn’t say this would make you *look* better, we’re just appealing to base emotion at this point. It’s all about feeling, pal…😉
Wow. Need a shower from the slimy spin.
Oh, that’s wicked!
On the 7th read I finally heard the Kanigan Karaoke in the garage. It was really good. It was.
Smiling. Thank you Helen (But it, the karaoke, is not so good, really)
“It” doesn’t necessarily refer solely to the karaoke 🙂
Awwww. You had me confused with someone who can actually read messages between the lines. I’m more in need of the Anvil dropped on head from 5 feet up to be able to get it.
That may be the only word in the passage that didn’t fit…
“Once In A LIfetime” by Talking Heads..’you may ask yourself…’ – and we do. I guess it’s a function of being who we are – to question that premise continually. But who you are is more than enough pal – a delight, an inspiration, an occasional irritant to your family I’m sure and adored by them always.
Smiling. Thank you for the kind words Mimi
I feel your pain.
Riding the same bus.
The mind a raccoon – ever searching, digging, anxious. Yep. Fabulous.
Thank you Pamela.
Music soothes the savage beast and its raccoon mind.
It does. It does.
Great comments today! I think we should question “Who am I” Otherwise, I may not find out who I can become. Still, if you eat that yummy dessert of Lori’s too often, you’ll just get fat 🙂
No doubt about that!
You are this and you are that. You are all of it. And YOU are amazing.
Awwww, thank you Vicki.
and i am who i am, indeed.
You’re you…and you are blessed…we all are to have you being you.
Ahhhh, thank you Carol.