Sunday, October 2, 2011

3274. THIS LIFE JUST A TRAGIC ATTRACTION

'THIS LIFE JUST A
TRAGIC ATTRACTION'

'Receding water exposes bodies,
0r at least we expect,' the man said.
His cigarette dangled from pursed, fussy
lips and I fully expected him to gag.
Something there was about this fellow -
made strange by circumstance - brought
me to disbelief. Badge and gun notwithstanding,
if he was the Law, I wanted to be an outsider, now.
-
He'd said his loyalty was to the Law and that
upholding it had become his life's work. 'Yeah,
sure' I thought. I wished I had a five-hundred
dollar bill to dangle in his face - just to see
what he'd do for money. If he knew the Law,
then I knew all about Charley Chase.
-
I watched the back of his head as he
stood there, and I realized right then
that the piece of plastic I saw was actually
the back edge of his wig - toupee, hairpiece,
whatever. Yes, I wanted to laugh, but was
sure it wouldn't be wise. Other than that,
it looked pretty real, or at least I never
had noticed before. Good enough for me.
-
'I admonish you, if you're at all squeamish,
to look away. As we drag these bodies up
it's apt to get ugly.' I knew what he meant,
but I knew just as well it was bullshit - I'd
heard him and his cronies beforehand, talking
of women's bodies and things they had seen.
-
I guess it's like that everywhere - the lark runs the rush,
the beaver breaks the dam, things eventually do
just run out of control. No more stops, and no
one to stop it. This Life, just a tragic attraction.
This life, just a tragic attraction.

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