First, the flash

on the plane ride home
that I might be the one who dies young —
that flimsy-bodied office worker whose organs
gave out.
Then the smiling round
retired banker capturing me at the local tea shop
telling me only the rich are happy
that I don’t really know Orange County
that I’m due for a double-chinned heart attack
and what will happen to my wife and kids then?
Finally a voicemail from my doctor saying
hi
my total cholesterol is high
I’m at high risk for cardiac disease.
She hopes it’s OK to leave this in a message but she’s going on vacation.
And it came roaring out of his eyes, his ears, his nose, his throat
like some kind of pressure-cooked stew where you
can’t make out the specific vegetables involved
but it’s obvious something’s
been mashed.

3 comments for “First, the flash

  1. heroic imp
    January 10, 2007 at 7:06 pm

    very odd, very strange, in this i must swim around. More than a kiddy swim though through this one, went back for the adult swim swim with it, and really dug the the midnight moon in it, reminding me of my old friend getting closer to the deep end, but still puffing that cigar, kicking back, and free stylin’!

  2. Opaleye
    January 11, 2007 at 2:10 pm

    I love it. But I might have stopped at ‘…she’s going on vacation’ – I lost the connection after that, but it could just be me and my heavy metal problem. This piece has a lot of integrity and you’re taking some real chances.

  3. lemonblossom
    January 11, 2007 at 2:46 pm

    agree with Opaleye, stop at vacation. Agree with Opaleye, taking risks. This one feels closer to the bone, more vulnerable than you often are (so when you are, it zings). Go, go, go! (and eat less butter)
    xx

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