'Cause We Like To

I thought it might be fun to add a little variety here by posting some older stuff occasionally, most of which has never been seen by anyone outside of myself and perhaps a few of my writers group cronies. This one is from the late '90's when I ran the Poetry Porch during Tremont Art Walk over the course of three summers. It's a 100% true story.

 ***

So while every sane person is out at the beach or having a picnic or some such, I'm roving about Tremont with a staple gun, posting "Poetry Porch" flyers in the 90 degree heat. I've plastered about three fourths of the hood when a boy, perhaps eight years old, drives up on his bike. "You the one puttin' those up?" He points to the telephone pole I just hit.

"You mean the flyers?" I ask.

"Yeah. What's those about?"

"They're for a poetry reading."

"'Cause me and my friend are tearing them all down." Sure enough, as we speak another somewhat smaller boy is across the street picking at the comers of the flyer I just posted. We watch as he rips it down and crumples up. He is smiling.

"What the hell are you doing that for?!!"

"'Cause we like to." His eager expression reminds me of a puppy explaining that he likes chasing sticks.

"Man, you're crazy!” He just looks at me blankly.

“Hey, this is for the Black Poetic Society!" I try, hoping to appeal to the small African-American in him.

"I hate poetry."

"You should come and listen. You might like it."

"Nah."

"Well cut it out!"

"It's okay, you can put more up." He seems rather proud of himself, as if he honestly believes he's come up with a good and rational solution to my problem. Then he rides off and I watch the two of them casually roll down to the next phone pole and reach for the flyer. I turn away, shaking my head in disbelief.

I finish posting the rest of the flyers on tiptoes, as far up as I can reach.

***

We now return you to our regular featured programing...

Readin' and Writin' and Suchlike

Reading to begin as soon as I'm done posting here will be the homework from tonight's Market Gardener class: the first five chapters in The Organic Farmer's Business Handbook

Wrote some fun letters to an old high school buddy, but not much else.

Good Eats

Still working through that big crock pot full'o porky goodness. Tonight, accompanied by a nice salad. And I've been snacking on macadamia nuts today, which I haven't bought in a good long time because those suckers are 17 bucks a pound. But my, oh my, they are tasty. I'm doing a Whole30 this month which means I'm back to hardcore Paleo: no grains, no legumes, no dairy, no sweets, no cheating. And no alcohol. So if I seem a little bitchy* this month, that might explain it.

*-er than usual.

My Adorable Child

...can ice skate like nobody's business. He's been in figure skating lessons for a while and is now taking speed skating too. He breezed through Basic 1, 2, and 3, and won his first practice speed skating race. He's gotten so comfortable on the ice. It's really fun to watch. But don't take my word for it, check this kid out.