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Showing posts from November, 2024

Bottom Line

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Maybe I was twenty-five or so, discouraged, unemployment checks nearly run out. Job hunting all morning, getting nowhere but tired. Disappearing sounded good. It was a narrow, dark tavern on 7th Street, downtown. Two o'clock in the afternoon, working on my second boilermaker, so the rest of the day was certainly blown.  Sitting next to some guy named George, and he was laying it all out for me. The kind of deep and dopey drivel that comes with an alcohol haze. "You see, you got your humans. And, you got your hoomans. Humans are the savers, the hoomans are the destroyers. Now, humans and hoomans, they're not the same, you know, not at all.  Hoomans, they eat their own. They trust no one, not even each other. They hate the good things, and they'll kill anything for any reason or no reason. They'll take everything you have, that's the hoomans. So us humans have to get rid of every single hooman on God's good earth. Or, we don't have a prayer of a chance, r...

Best

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The very first one I had was actually plastic, thin, came with a hard rubber ball that stung my palm as I ricochet it staccato style off the apartment building. Glad to have that little glove, ignored the pain.  One day, it happened, the real deal! My father and I went to Sears, and we looked at some quality leather gloves like the Rawlings and Wilson types. My small hand felt lost in a major league glove, I could barely flex it! Well made, not cheap, it was a bit much for my father to spend at the time. But, we got the best one: a Rawlings Roberto Clemente Signature Right Field Glove. Couldn't believe my good luck going home with it on my lap.  Then, the nightly routine - mineral oiled up with a baseball in it under my mattress. Roberto Clemente, great athlete, great human being. Died a hero helping others. And, my best glove ever!

Limited

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All the world of unknown smells, scents, aromas, and my stubborn dog won't trade noses for a day. Just for one day! I've begged, but it's a hard no for now. Can't blame her, human parts lacking, my human smell range a tiny fraction of hers. Perhaps, I might be careful what I'd wish for. Would it be sensory overload real fast? And, how would I ever be happy again with my limited version?