8585. GUILTY OF SEDITION

GUILTY OF SEDITION

So the mad judge said, coming down

on me. 'At least it's not destitution,'

I said. 'At least not yet.' He wrote

something down. 'At least it's not 

desertion, or nutrition.' Everyone

agreed, but the were still writing

things down. I went home with a

scar on my Adam's Apple. Guilty

of incision? Hey! Maybe that was 

it. No one ever got back to me.

-

On Marmicoe Street, Landow's

Tree Service was cutting down

trees. A real dis-service, I thought.

But who would know in this day

and age. Their big white truck

has jumped the curb.

-

Over by the Quick-Chek, the guy

who was eating a sandwich stood

up. Stood up quickly, like it was

an emergency. I couldn't see

anything, but then I saw he had

his phone  -  that was some way 

he used, oddly, of emphasizing

what he'd said. The person on

the other end, of course, couldn't

see, but I did. I guessed the listener

was supposed to get the idea that

he'd really meant business on that 

one. But how would he know 

he'd just stood up? 

-

A lot of this modern life befuddles 

me; and I don't even do a lot of 

things  -  just mostly hang around, 

thinking, watching all this mischief

take place. Reading Shakespeare in

the car, at lights. I think that's all

been outlawed now. Distracted

Driving, is the phrase they use.

Like Distracted Living has never

been enough. 

-

So, the crazy judge, he just sat back

down; expects me to care? I call it 

an institution. The infraction of 

traction in a modern day of life.

You heard that? I'm standing up.

While. He's. Sitting. Down.