MEPHISTOPHELES AT
THE CLOTHESLINE
There was no way around him, and we met at
mid-day. For whatever reason, he was standing
near Gerritson Bay, along an old string of
apartment clotheslines no longer used, the
Gerritson Bay Projects having long ago
been closed and mostly torn down. I said,
simply, 'Why'd you pick here to meet?'
-
It was a long time back, I can remember,
there was song I used to interpret wrongly,
by the Police, and it had a line in it that
went, 'Mephistopheles is no Joe Namath.'
I managed to tell him that, and he smiled.
'Interpreting things correctly is often the
hardest part - hearing is one thing; a
funny guide into the present.'
-
In answer to why, he simply said, 'I
wished for you to see how most things
end.' That set me back a moment. I was
wondering right then about the sea, actually,
and hardly thinking of what words he
spoke. I thought of how far off it was but
how we keep it close, as if the shoreline
is always near. I figured maybe that
was because, as they say, our line started
out as fish; a slime crawling out of the
sea after growing legs?
-
He spoke to me again..."About this deal;
once you agree, their is no turning back.
You can die as easily as breath; and it is
I who will kill you. Be mindful of that, and
remember, much like your 'God,' I too
am always watching.
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