Well, have you heard, have you seen?
What?
Soccer player keeps the ball airborne running.
Yeah? Your imagination, that’s what’s running.
No, my imagination stops when I see him doing it.
So? What’s he do?
Oh, you need telling twice?
Flips the ball past the defender, catches it on the other foot,
flips it past the next player.
Yeah, sure, gimme some detail on how.
Well, upper body at between 10 and 11 degrees, ball trajectory the same.
When did he find that out?
Exercising thru the bushes in the park, avoiding prickly branches,
trunks sticking out, logs diagonal.
Policeman asks what’s he doing. Go back to school.
Yes, he says, and doesn’t.
Wanted to put in 6 hours a day of ball control.
No school?
No, he was his own teacher and pupil.
Only cooked for the family.
Mother alcoholic, sisters rebellious.
Oh, so a monomaniac?
A solomaniac, is better.
But why this air solo?
Well put. You want to intercept the ball,
you have to commit a foul.
You didn’t succeed, all sorts of space
opened up for him and his team.
You ever played against him?
Eh, I’m just an observer, a sports fan, a bit of a scout.
He still doing it?
No, he’s retired. Walks up and down
stairs with the ball in the air,
jumps fences and catches the ball on the other side.
Sounds like the circus?
Guess you could say that.
Appears on TV explaining the technique.
But so far nobody has been able to copy.
What does he say?
Slightly bent knees, catch the ball close
to the ground, center of gravity low.
It’s like a dance.
And the ball is his partner?
Well said.
He takes the ball for a stroll
in the park. Kids love it.
Walking the ball?
Hey, you got a way with words.
Sounds like a lonely guy.
No, he’s got me.
How’s that?
Well, you could say I’m keeping
him in the air.
Ah, still a fantasy.
When he lands on my feet
he’s real as a double
and true as a story.

Now, he ended up on an island. Was he alone? You bet. An island in a city, an ocean, a desert.
Every once in a while someone came by or he met this someone and they formed a twosome.
On a Monday some flotsam carried in Man Monday.
He showed him how to contemplate the moon, sit still, wait till the sunlight shone around and in him. And with the sun Man Monday disappeared.
On a Tuesday who walked up but Man Tuesday.
This guy was service personified. He saw to his every need and wakened an urge in him to serve himself. So he kicked him out, with many thanks.
On a Wednesday in came lively Man Wednesday. What entertainment, philosophical conversation. Like, see that sand castle? That’s a mirage. True, but wait till it rains, it’ll be hell-to-shelter. At that point Man Wednesday’s course had run it’s course.
On a Thursday in parachuted Man Thursday. Now, this how you make a fire. For roasting and warming. Good, let’s cook because it’s warm enough here. After the meal Man Thursday rocketed off back to the skies.
On a Friday in crusoed Man Friday. From an earlier story he knew this one was as loving as he was silent. Smile, big brown eyes, was all he communicated. And his silence was warm and cold, sweat and shiver. Like a fever. One day he canoed off to his own island.
On a Saturday slowly Man Saturday emerged. Together they grovelled and toiled. Things fell apart, they learned patience and resilience. Man Saturday was slow to leave, there was no hurrying him.
On a Sunday in marched Man Sunday. The party began, music and dance. All in worship of the Copper Cudgel, the Sacred Scorcher, the Friendly Furnace. And left him with the debris.
And who came by the next day?
Man Tomorrow. All open space, 360 degrees view, that’s what he had to offer.
Anything can happen
Anyone can come by
Anywhere you find without looking
Anyhow something shows
Anyway….. well, he goes without saying.

A boy thought: I love to sing, but I can't sing.
He tried to sing a song, but when he did everybody held their hands over their ears.
So he went for a walk and sang for himself.
Just then he passed a meadow and a cow responded with a long MOOO.
Well, he said, tell me cow, how did you learn to mooo so beautifully.
The cow said, I learned it from my mother, who always went MOOO when she was full
of milk, so I knew I could drink.
So, said the boy, if I sing MOOO, everybody will think I'm a singing cow and clap their hands instead of holding them over their ears.
Now, said the cow, I'll tell you what. I once was just grazing away and saw a man sitting cross legged and eyes closed on the edge of the meadow behind the fence.
And he sang OOOM.
That's MOOO the other way round, said the boy.
Yes, said the cow, you're human, so why sing like a cow. Just sit down, close your eyes and turn the
MOOO around and you have a beautiful sound.

A guy. Loves walking. Walks over to the municipal pool. Enters the water. And keeps walking.
Look, there’s that pool walker again.
Pool walker does his first 25 meters.
Swat! Arm and leg hit him from behind.
Scram, I’m training for the Olympics.
****, you do this one more time. I’ll be limping.
Pool walker does another 50.
Smack! His toe hits a spectre near the bottom.
Scoot! You broke my goggles, diver bubbled.
****! You just popped my bubble and now I’m treading glass.
Pool walker is into his last 100.
Smash! His knee hits a soft object.
Srlsrlsrlsrlr! Goes drowning kid.
Shush! Now I’m walking on my hands to get you.
Pool Master approaches Pool walker: Hey, Maestro, try swimming.
That’s what I do on Main street.

This guy had a sleeping problem. A friend told him about a man who pitched himself as the Sleep Savant. He had no followers, just told one and all he slept 3 hours during the day and 12 during the night.
The bad sleeper phoned him and said, can we talk?
Only over the phone, the Savant said.
Why so?
You see me, you won’t sleep at all.
So it’s your voice? You talk yourself to slumber?
Well, that must be it, because I never believed in my own advice.
Right, I heard it and I’ll see if it works.
A week later the bad sleeper phoned again.
You got anything else besides your voice? I still don’t sleep like a babe.
You’re asking for a technique? Go see a mechanic.
How about using your own voice, like I use mine.
You heard me twice now.
Ah, like in a movie?
A week later the bad sleeper phoned again.
Hello, I’m still in the woods, don’t know what to do.
Silence at the other end.
Are you there? Should I talk to you in your own voice?
Silence.
Well, here I go
He made a show of the Savant’s voice.
Silence.
But, no, a soft snoring sound came thru the speaker.
A week later the bad sleeper phoned again.
Well, it worked for you didn’t it? But not for me.
What next?
Right, you want some bad advice. Just pretend you’re watching a movie of a guy sleeping, me, anybody, yourself.
A movie? After a movie I hardly sleep at all.
Then visualize yourself walking up to my place, following a hundred signs.
But then I’ll see you?
Yeah, you got me there, phone me in a week.
A week later the bad sleeper phoned.
Hey Savant, I slept like a newborn set of Siamese twins and you were the other one.
Right, get a surgeon, we need to be separated, cause I’m not sleeping anymore.

We have a Baroness and a diplomat. They were a team in a global organization. And they had an affair. And both were addicted to something. She to ****** and he to saving the world.
She promised him to quit and he promised her to quit.
He promised to quit if she promised to submit to a clinic after he quit his world saving addiction.
She promised to enter the clinic if he promised to leave the world’s stage.
They sat in a hotel room and she says, for the time being you can use you diplomatic status and pouches to get me the brown sugar. He said, the world saver he was, that could be great cover, for the time being.
Diplomaniak, I love you. Baroness, you sweet Brownie, I love you.
So for the time being as it was nothing changed.
The diplo haggled and joked with the dealers. He had learned the trade from his parents who both had been junkies. So he bought the best of the best. The Baroness took it for granted she got the best of the best.
Pouches came and went and the diplo covered it all up with a crazy story. About them containing samples of biochemicals used in warfare. And used by him to expose rogue states. All to prevent exposing his rogue mate.
Dealers asked him, you on the sugar?
No, it’s for my sugar. I’m on a drop of whiskey and a puff of tobacco.
But then time being as it was something changed.
The diplo finally found a suitable successor.  One who wasn’t trying to save the world. The world decided it would do it’s saving it self.
So in came a peace loving and peaceful negotiator. A man who extended existing wars and supported starting new ones.
The Baroness booked herself into the clinic. The diplo visited her every day. This time without the sugar but with a bottle of crème de cacao for her and a drop of whiskey for him. The nurse expressly had forbidden any stimulants in the clinic, so the diplo used a different pouch. He bought a large chocolate box. Together they retreated to a secluded spot in the garden and enjoyed sips of their respective browns.
One day the Baroness said, I’ve got to tell you something.  I’ve fallen in love.
With whom?
With the nurse.
Well, that’s better than being married to the needle, said the diplo.
You don’t care?
I care a lot but only for you.
Her new lover barred him from visiting her.
But the diplo found a way around this. He mimicked the voices of her family members and got her to visit him in their usual hotel rooms. There they sipped their browns in secret.
But the time being as it was one of them died. And when that happened their last words to each other were that they stopped making promises to each other.

The Big Man in a Small Sports Car waited before a traffic light. A policeman came over and said: Sir, you're a protected city scape. Don't heed the red light.
What kind of justice is this? I'm waiting.
You want justice? I'll fine you for not exercising your privilege.
Yeah, that's justice. Now I'm gonna eat asparagus.

The Big Man in a Small Sports Car reported at a movie set as an extra. With a few friends he had to row a sloop. In a straight line. They ended on the cutting room floor. Well, that's a straight line for you. Now I'm gonna eat asparagus.

The Big Man in a Small Sports Car took a course in horse whispering. I'm a heavy talker. How do I do this?
Look at the animal, the teacher said. It's heavy without talking. Try it yourself. Right, that's easy. Now, don't look at the animal. And move slowly. Right, that's not easy. They circled each other, coming closer.
Then the Big Man in a Small Sports Car whispered: Hey, wanna go eat asparagus?

It's a balmy spring evening. There's a couch, a cigar and green tea. And there's a man. The window's on a crack. In creep a pair of green eyes, fuzzy redhead and soft paws. Potted palm, some ceramic and a picture frame get knocked over. Some looking around. A sudden leap and the mouse is caught. One last look around and mouse in mouth vanishes through the window. Knocking over a candle.
Thanks Kitty. I'll call you Alibi. Leave the rest to the cleaning lady.

It's a sweaty summer evening. There's a couch, a cigar and a glass of chilled white wine. And there's a man. The window's on a crack. In creep a pair of pale yellow eyes, bushy black head and soft paws. Potted yucca, bronze statue and glass object get knocked over. Some delicate scanning. A sudden leap and the mouse is caught. One last scan and the mouse in mouth vanishes through the window. Knocking over a vase with an artificial flower.
Thanks Kitty. I'll call you Alias. Leave the rest to the cleaning lady.

It's a sweltering autumn evening. There's a couch, a cigar and a glass of cool beer. And there's man. The window's on a crack. In creep a pair of hooded eyes, capped head and gloved paws. Potted vegetables, glass tea *** and cooking pan get knocked over. Some tentative spot lighting. A sudden leap and the gold watch is caught. One last beam and gold in mouth vanishes through the window. Knocking over a bottle of beer.
The man opens his eyes. Thanks Kitty, for not ******* on the table. I'll call you Bias. Leave the rest to the cleaning lady.

It's a rainy winter evening. There's a couch, a cigar and a hot grog. And there's a man. The window’s an invitation.

An Animal Magnetizer went knocking at the doors of farmers and pitched:
Your animals sick, sad and surly? Let me magnetize them and they will be sane, spirited and sweet. Two healings for the price of one!
One farmer thought: Well, it so happens carnival is in town, so let’s take a shot.
The Animal Magnetizer chose one of the goats, closed his eyes, and magnetized……
Dear Goat, you’ve sore knees, you’re too fat.
The goat thought: O, yeah, how about me getting extra fodder because I’m old? And he took a bite out of the magnetizer’s pants.
The Animal Magnetizer went mad and secretly magnetized the goat sore knees for the rest of his life.
The Animal Magnetizer chose one of the chickens, closed his eyes and magnetized…..
Dear Chicken, you’re starving, look at your legs, they are so thin.
The chicken thought: O, yeah, I’m scuttling about all day looking for food and get fed twice a day, I’m just nice and slender.
And it pooped over the Animal Magnetizer’s shoes.
The Animal Magnetizer went mad and secretly magnetized the chicken starvation for the rest of his life.
Well, the farmer said, I’m subwhelmed, you got one more chance.
The Animal Magnetizer chose one of the donkey’s, closed his eyes and magnetized…. (Let’s put a positive note)
Dear Donkey, you’ll have a beautiful child.
The donkey thought: O, yeah, look at my belly, a child can see that. And it peed all over the Animal Magnetizer’s shirt.
The Animal Magnetizer went mad and secretly magnetized the donkey with a child that bore the horns of a goat and the feathers of a chicken.
Ah, well, buster, no cure no pay, the farmer said, I guess my stock relies on it’s own animal magnetism.

Too long
to walk
to bike
to lie down
too light
daylight
days on end
hanging around
around and around
but, wait, I’m
indulging
in aimless
blabber
too much ogling
what I find
is a whole
different ***
the buds
are late
particularly the
young ones
too late
for a
blooming heart
too light
in vain
I look
to see
if I don’t
see my hand
anymore
too much water
the glass is
already full
too good
in good faith
the sun
spirits itself
away
too bad

A farmers family had a small son called Mark. The boy was forever asking questions. So they called him Question Mark.
Walking around in the yard he said: What kind of animal is that?
His mother said: That’s a chicken.
And the boy said: What does a chicken do?
The mother said: She scurries around for food and then lays an egg.
And we scurry around after her eggs for our food.
And the boy said: Why does a chicken lay eggs?
And the mother said: The chicken hopes it’s egg will produce a chick.
And the boy said: What is a chick?
And the mother said: A chick is a young chicken, just like you are my young son.
And the boy said: But who came first, the chicken or the egg?
The mother was speechless.
One day a man and his little daughter came to buy some eggs.
The boy bombarded the two with questions.
He said: Who are you?
The man said: I’m married to my wife and together we have this little daughter.
And the boy said: What do you do?
The man said: I provide food for my wife and daughter.
And the boy said: Why?
The man said: If my daughter doesn’t eat she will never be big and strong.
And the boy said: Why do you have a daughter?
The man said: We enjoy living with her and hope she will support us when we are old.
And the boy said: Is your daughter the same as a little chicken?
The man said: I guess you could say so.
And the boy said: Did she crawl out of an egg too?
The man said: No, she came out of her mother’s womb.
And the boy said: So is a womb just like an egg?
The man said: No, people don’t crawl out of an egg. But in the beginning they do look a bit like a little egg.
And the boy said: But who came first, that little egg or the mother?
And then the little girl said: Everything starts small and ends up big.
And the boy said: But what about the Giant and Tom Thumb? That Giant was big from the beginning. And Tom Thumb stayed small.
The girl said: Yeah, I know that fairy tale. Tom Thumb beats the Giant, doesn’t he?
But then, Marky Mark, who decides who is big and who is small?

At five in the morning
in peeps
bona fide sunshine
thru my blanket
& my eye,
lowly it loafs
on the street,
out spaces
the early
innocence,
gangster gal,
anything you say
from now on
can be used
against you.

Oh, Ah,
You are my
roundabout which
I round with a
minimal velocity
of three heartbeats
a second
chasing a
small guy,
naturally I mean
a small gal
but she doesn’t know it
and the small guy does.

The man who fell in love everyday sat in the sauna next to a dark girl.
He dropped to his knees, kissed her hand and said:
You're beautiful, let me say this, I'm in love with you.
The dark girl said:
Funny man.
The man who fell in love everyday, fell out of love that instant.
He walked over to the infrared sauna and sat next to a redhead.
Again he dropped to his knees and said:
You're beautiful, let me say this, I'm in love with you.
The redhead said:
My hair is a traffic light. That's where you stop.
The man who fell in love everyday, fell out of love that instant.
He walked over to the swimming pool and let himself in.
An older woman swam towards him.
He couldn't drop to his knees, so he floated up to her and said:
You're beautiful, let me say this, I'm in love with you.
The older woman said:
As long as we're in the water, let's marry.
The man who fell in love everyday, fell in love no more.

A man was walking through a forest and a fierce wind was blowing.
He had trouble keeping his balance.
Suddenly he meets a spider hanging in a bush.
The spider gently swayed with the wind.
He asked the spider: Tell me, how do you keep your balance in this fierce wind?
The spider said: It's my web. I'm connected with everything that surrounds me.
The man: But I don't have a web.
Yes you do, said the spider.
You have a mind that can connect you with your surroundings. Try it.
The man imagined his own web and stood perfectly balanced.
Thank you, spider, he said.
Don't thank me, said the spider.
You did it yourself.

The Sky Butcher levitated to his Cumulus Mall. Picked up a chuck of air, seasoned it with cloud, sprinkled it with breeze. No chopping, no flattening.

In walked a customer. (Thought I cut some figure.) What's it gonna be? Looking for something to **** in. Well, got you a real soft Pigeon Breath. This one's gonna stay flapping inside you. Zoots me, I gotta fly.

In walked another customer. (Thought I knew my cuts of heat.) What's it gonna be? Looking for something to ******* away. Well, got you a prime T-Bone Twister. You'll never be found again. Pack it in, I'm packing up.

In walked yet another customer. (Thought I knew my meat & greet.) What's it gonna be? Looking for a smell that puts me unconcho. Well, got you some tender little Southpaw. Phoooo! I'm gone already.

Blasta, the Sky Butcher said to himself, I'm heavytating back to the flats. My meat's getting thin up here.

On his way home he saw a truck passing. Oxy-Gen, it said on the side. Genetically modified air, new to me. Gotta get me some second wind first thing tomorrow.

What’s to worry about?
Well, you got global warming, the climate clinic says.
You got seas rising, temps rising, kung flu flying, fauna failing,
floods and droughts fighting to a draw.
So? We’ll die or live
What’s more?
Well, you got global warring, the perennial peace promoter says.
You got the oily-garchs grabbing, the bitcoiners blackwashing the banks, the banks heisting customers, big countries nibbling at small countries, refugees swamping seas and lands.
So? We’ll die or live.
What’s more?
Well, you got schmillions of global worryers.
You got fears floating, angers accumulating, distress dispersing, nerves wrecking, chests burning like charcoal, knots klodding throats, sweat pouring out of pores, knees keeling but not kneeling, heads hurting, hearts eating themselves.
That sounds more like it.
How do I join this army?
They’re signing up at a building called The Void.
Uncle Shame and Auntie Blame want you.
Marching against or for what?
Warring and warming themselves.

The guy who reinvented the wheel time and again went to see his doctor. What's up? the doctor said. I climbed up on my roof to get a tennis ball. I jumped down and let go of the ball. We hit the concrete at the same time. That's gravity. Could've told you that before, he doctor said. Break anything? Yeah, a leg and an arm, but now they will never forget.

The guy who reinvented the wheel time and again went to see his accountant. What's up? the accountant said. I gave a mil to a pyramid schemer. He promised me a 100% profit on a farm in the sky. Well, he was right about the 100%, but the profit was his not mine. Could've told you that before, the accountant said. Save anything? No, the lawyer cost me another 100%, but now my wallet will never forget.

The guy who reinvented the wheel time and again went to see his shrink. What's up? the shrink said. I gave away my heart to the first woman I met on the street. She said: let me borrow yours, I'll bring it back when I'm done. Promise, promise, promise. But you'll have to find me. Could've told you that before, the shrink said. Feel anything? Yeah, real bad, but now my heart will never forget.

Well, one keeps company, doesn't one? Two, three, four, and counting. And any number can sit in an establishment and order drinks. And this company is served, isn't it? And service it will be.

Any number sits in a boulevard bar and orders three beer and a liquor. The barista brings the three beer and an empty liquor glass. Don't see the liquor, any number says. Oh yeah, she says, I forgot to say, take a deep look first. I see a tiny bubble of air, any number says. Well, that got me light in the head, she says. Won't do for me, any number says. Get to your senses and fill it up. Certainly, sir.

Any number sits in a lakeside lounge. And orders two soft drinks, one liquor and a beer. She brings the soft drinks, the liquor and an empty beer glass. Don't see the beer, any number says. Oh yeah, she says, I forgot to say, take a quick look first. I see a glass balloon, ready to take off, any number says. Hullaballoon, she says, that's why they call me a floater. Won't do for me, any number says. Get your feet on the ground and fill it up. Certainly, sir.

Any number sits in a seaside beer garden and orders one soft drink, one beer and two liquors. She brings the beer, the liquors and an empty soft drink glass. Don't see the soft drink, any number says. Oh yeah, I forgot to say, take a long look first. I see my own sweat dripping down in the glass. That's my cloud breaking, she says. Won't do for me, any number says, take your cue from the lightning and fill it  up. Certainly, sir.

It's nice to be nice, the barista thought. But King Customer is not ready for the service of an Empty Empress.

Two women, over a latte, a salad and a glass of water.
Clearly plotting something.
Let’s listen.
Why don’t we put together an alphabetical almanac of *******.
There are so many around, in such a variety.
Yeah, take Boregasm.
Both the drill and the ennui.
Seems like the end of a long string.
And Boargasm.
Happy as pigs in ***** sheets.
Lots of grunting and wallowing.
Coregasm.
Oh goodness, that sounds so spiritual.
Takes years of tantra.
And then, Choregasm.
Yes! Doing the dishes, vacuuming. Ecstasy
as a household appliance.
And Doorgasm.
Could be more of a male thing.
But being impaled sounds not bad for a woman either.
Foregasm.
Oh, just thinking about the real thing, a virtual
*******.
*******.
Coming up for air out of
a ******* morass of mud and blood.
Whoregasm.
Talking about fake news.
Males love it, women, well, they do it.
Loregasm.
Oh, that’s mythical. Like an affair
between a hero and a heroine of old.
Moregasm.
Yes! Don’t you dare stop.
Moorgasm.
Ah, 1001 nights, lots of women
sharing, a man losing his appetite.
How about this: Oargasm.
What? Penetrated by an oar. Feel it already, meanwhile
floating on the water, in the company
of long strong rowers. Nirvana?
Oregasm.
Now we’re mining deep, suffocating and
claustrophobic, but hot and dirtblack.
Poorgasm.
Down and out, it’s still there,
a short cut to heaven.
Poregasm.
Out of millions of little holes
all sighs and cries.
Pourgasm.
Emptying a bottle of champagne
over one’s own head.
Roargasm.
Definitely the lion of them all,
male power can excite the woman.
Snoregasm.
Yeah, well, some guys start snoring before, some after.
Women snore too, can be ecstasy in a dream.
Soregasm.
Hope the pain turns out sweet.
Soargasm.
Rocket out of pocket, up and away,
hard landing though.
Toregasm.
Oh no, supreme torture,
looking for one’s limbs afterward.
Yoregasm.
A gasp from the past.
Clattering armor, ripping robes.
No shortage in noise.
Yourgasm.
That’s the one you’re looking for,
no copying or faking, silent or loud,
never to forget.

Think we got them all.
All those gasms give me the spasms.
Another latte?

It's been a long hard search, but you know what? Humpty Dumpty turns out to have a brother. In the end he just popped up between the lives of so many other unknown kin.

This guy, Humpty Dumpster, seems to try what nobody, king's horses nor king's men, is really successful at. He goes around picking up pieces.

Humpty Dumpster walks and stalks the big city. Woman comes out her door. Dumps an old table lamp without a shade. Humpty Dumpster picks it up. What you gonna do with that? Go pick up the missing piece. And yo! Next corner, a milky glass shade. How's that for a short circuit, he thinks. Now wait for a real one.

Humpty Dumpster walks and stalks a provincial town. Hey, look. Sweet little frying pan lid. Heavy glass, easy handle. Humpty Dumpster picks it up. So, young knight, where's your sword, an old guy says. Eh, different game. See if it fits my frying pan. And yo! It does. Only just. Oh well, my floor anxiously waits for the shattering.

Humpty Dumpster walks and stalks his own street. Pinpointed eye. Like this thing asks to be seen. Deep wooden frame, ceramic head with fish on top, broken off tail sits with it. Humpty Dumpster picks it up. Mister, it's a throwaway, it's *****, you get sick, a young girl says. Maybe I'll be sick, but this thing is gonna be better. Glue the tail back on, surround it with animal figurines. Bad art is easy as a good ****.

Humpty Dumpty calls his brother. What's I'm hearing? You picking up pieces? Try picking up mine. Yeah, can do. But you gonna look older and not gonna be the old you. Who cares, Egghead.

The girl with the tooth gap looked in the mirror and thought: it looks like you've been mugged.

The girl with the tooth gap sought out other people with a gap. In a bar she met a woman with a thigh gap. It looks like you're starving, Tooth Gap said. I am. For beauty, Thigh Gap said. Your own or that of others? What's the difference?

The girl with the tooth gap sought out another person with a gap. At a train station she met a traveler with a platform gap. How's the leaping today, Tooth Gap said. Waiting to fall flat om my face and enjoy it, Platform Gap said. Why would you do that? I need the hurt to feel alive.

The girl with the tooth gap sought out the next one with a gap. At the post office she met a guy with a pension gap. Making ends meet? Tooth Gap said. Yeah, my life's end and that of my budget are closing in, Pension Gap said. Which one do you fear the most? My budget's.

Tooth Gap decided: this must be my Gap Year. I'm beginning to like my mugshot.

Anyone stood at a bus stop. Which way to go, to and fro, back and forth, up and down, side to side, anything goes, for the moment, an eternity it seemed.

He waited at the bus stop. Yes, there it is. Ah, driver, where you going? Depends on the course you run. Run? I want to sit. Well, sit down. Next stop is Mars Street, Pluto Avenue, Sun Boulevard, Orion Lane, eh, lots more. You going to war? You want to get anywhere, you need Mars first. What about Jupiter Alley? So you know where you're going after all? Seems like the stars. You're on the right line. But the terminal station's a lot of empty space.
Too many stars, I'm getting out.

He waited at the bus stop. Yes, there it is. Ah, driver, where you going? Depends on whom you're with. Just with me and myself. That's a crowd. Next stop is Family Street, School Street, Job Avenue, Sect Boulevard, Yoga Lane, Qi-Gong Alley and Graveyard Junction. Phew, what a ride. I have a choice? No. Well, I'll join the parade. Yeah, and end up alone.
Too many people, I'm getting out.

He waited at the bus stop. Yes, there it is. Ah, driver, where you going? Depends on the dirt you're standing on. Let me look. Part sand, part clay, part stones. Could be anywhere. Look, I stop at Rock Road, Sand Boulevard, Sea Lane, Air Junction, Mud Street. Sounds pretty ***** to me. Son, it's just like you. Well, actually I'm looking for a clean up. Right, Air Thoroughfare is the one.
Too much wind, I'm getting out.

If life's a bus, Anyone thought,  why do I have to keep getting out?
Read your mind, the driver thought, want me to do without sleep?

What’s the wonder of soccer?
The musicality, the marimba, the flow
back and forth, side to side.
Sometimes the ball directing the pace,
sometimes the player keeps the ball
from taking over.
But the ball doesn’t take no
for an answer.
It wants to challenge
the speed and direction of the players.
Saying, I’m faster than you,
more precise, that is if we
work together,
if you accept I’m faster,
because I’m the one who
needs to end up somewhere,
not you.
And when I do,
we’re both happy.

The Imperfectionist looked out of a window. Actually, he looked at the window. Within it's frame a woman appeared. Do I fit, she said. Fit in as you like, he said. But I would prefer you cut some corners. You want corners? How about top left? Bottom right, whatever. Hey, you just want me out of the picture.
That would be picture perfect.

The Imperfectionist sat down and turned on his tv. He concentrated on the sideground images. A war correspondent appeared on the screen. Around him, desert debris, military wrecks, abandoned bodies. Interactive question: what's that rock behind you? Interactive answer: I refer you to the company geologist.  Q: could you do you commentary on the left side of the screen? A: and step onto a roadside bomb? Now that's a perfect scenario.

The Imperfectionist was tired of framed images. He stepped outside and moved like a camera. Straight ahead a young girl approached, eyes glued to her phone. Left of her, a scooter moved onto the sidewalk. Right of her, two women loudly discussed a daughter's dental problems. Above her, a drone whirred. Below her, the pavement showed it's beautiful cracks. Skewz me, I'm looking for... he said. She looked up the address. It's right here, sir. He slapped his forehead. Oh no, that's a perfect disappointment.

Meet the man who heard faces. What? He heard a voice and saw a face. Why don't you say so?

The man who heard faces picked up his phone. At the other end a thin meticulous voice suggested an appointment. Something to do with personal development. Check: day, hour, place. He saw a sharp, dry face with glasses.  On the day, hour and at the place he met a creased, crooked face on top of a stocky guy. Well, he thought,  personal development starts here.

The man who heard faces turned on the radio. A soft, husky voice invited him to listen to an interview. He listened and didn't hear a thing. He saw a worn, battling face with a sleepy eye. Next day he came across the face in the papers. He saw a bland closed face with an earthy eye. Well, he thought, better listen and hear next time.

The man who heard faces sat on a train. Behind him a tweety, bubbling voice told someone to look at an airplane. He saw an angelic, creamy face with a sparkling eye. He turned around. He saw a dark, plotting face with a piercing eye. Just then a predator bird swooped down and picked up a mouse from the field.

The psychic came home one day from a reading. Out of nowhere his guts started tormenting him. He said to himself, right, you go see a doctor, take pills or not, and then what? Read my guts! (The doctor won't like this.)

So he lay down and read his guts. What did he see? A deep maelstrom, whirling really fast. I must be under water to see this, he thought. He told the doctor and the doctor said, try again, maybe you can start a tropical swimming pool.

So he lay down again and read his guts. What did he see? A huge towering waterfall, like the Niagara Falls, water plunging down. I must be high up in the air to see this, he thought. He told the doctor and the doctor said, try again, you might get the ****** Falls.

So he lay down one more time and read his guts. What did he see? A wildly swollen roaring stream, thrashing down boulders, branches and baby carriages. I must be in there to see this, he thought. He told the doctor and the doctor said, okay, you're washed up, now start a diet and take some pills.

The psychic said, okay, guts don't go on diets and take pills, people do. But wait, I see a long pole with a blue and white flag standing in the stream. What's it doing there?

Looking for an entertainer? Birthday, moving to a new home, marriage?
Phone the Fartist. Produces funny noises and nauseous funks.
It’s your birthday. You ask for a song and dance. That’s what you get and more.
Kids imitate the gross concert and adults hop around keeping their noses to the candles. And the birthday guy? He loses gas and wins a secret pleasure.
You’re moving to a new home. You ask for an afterburner blessing. You get that and more. The new carpet gets a long shush, the walls a staccato salvo, and exclamations of wonder are accompanied by exhumations of thunder. In the end the family lullabies itself to sleep with a gassy purr.
You’re marrying. You ask for cannons and rockets. You get that and more. The wedding kiss goes with a **** and a swish, the wedding cake comes with a choking chopper and the dance is a medley of winds and bombs. At night the couple both turn their gasses on each other.
Afterwards the Fartist receives many a compliment and complaint about the stink he raised. We love your **** aria’s and **** bolero’s, but can’t you deodorize?
The Fartist doesn’t reply but thinks to himself: Where did I hear about odorless gas before? Do they want gas chamber music?
O well, what has been lies ahead of us and what’s coming creeps up from behind.