Fractal memory # 9

Bleary eyed watching the sun rise
drinking coffee
on the small upstairs porch
mind still slow
from the night just past
I look at the girl
and she smiles

Fractal Memory #8

Red truck again
dark side street
in a quiet neighborhood
smoking dope from a crushed
coke can
with two giggling girls

B.S.

I met you twice
at forks in the road.
Both times I made
the wrong choice.
More in a list
of regrets I have
over failures from
the past.

T. (Winter, 1986)

T. called. It was probably 6:30 or 7:00 at night, and snowing like crazy. She needed somebody to talk to, to lean on, a sympathetic ear. Boyfriend trouble, of course. I was always the "guy friend" that the girls trusted and loved like a brother. "I'll make coffee", she said. So I put on my boots, heavy coat and head out the door to walk over to where she was staying. She was living at a friends place at the time due to issues with her dad. We drank the coffee and talked for quite a long time. Eventually we ended up sitting on the stairs that led to the upper unit of the house, an older place divided into an upper and lower style duplex. We sat close and talked some more, T. with her head on my shoulder after a while, and my arm around her shoulders. The talk faded off, and we sat just holding each other, until I heard her whisper very softly "I wish I didn't have a boyfriend and you didn't have a girlfriend, right now." I pretended not to hear her at first and asked what she had said, but she wouldn't repeat it. I still regret not making a move. That night could have had consequences that might have steered my life in a very different direction, but I guess I'll never know.

A. N.

You used to say I followed you
like a puppy
but I never went anywhere
I wasn't led.
I should have called you on it
but I didn't want
to push the issue.
I thought that if you
had more in mind
than just being friends
you would have let me know.

Fractal Memory #7

Jones Park,in the fall maybe?
sitting on the wall
smoking and talking
sneaking sidelong glances
trying to figure out
what you were thinking
should I make a move?

Short Political Rant #1 (Stolen from my Facebook commentary)

We on the left need to quit acting like politics is a great big happy-ass suburban soccer game where there are no losers and everybody gets ice cream after. We need some loud old-fashioned 30s style union activist type lefties! We have to start playing like this game is for keeps!

The fear factory on the right not only ignores actual facts, it manufactures it's own. They spew distortions, half truths and lies to keep the sheep in line.

Deregulation and greed made jobs go overseas. Reagan started the union busting in the 80s. The repugs in congress would rather work on preventing abortions than creating jobs. Fuck the right.

Political Rant #2

All private money needs to be removed from elections. All third party ads need to be out. All lobbying of legislators needs to end. Only then will we be rid of corporate influence in politics. But with the Republicans holding the House and only a slim Democratic majority in the Senate, don't hold your breath. The Republicans will continue to whore for their corporate masters as long as they are allowed to.