A.G.E's Joint

  In a basement boiler room in Kissimmee FL Rrrinng Good day and thank you for contacting Hot Seasonz. The Travel division of Devils' Quill Communications. I'm Ash, how may I help you? The wife wants a baby and you want her to shut up? Before I make suggestions, may I ask why a baby would be a problem? She's a drunk and would drop it off your 40-story balcony? Why, Mr. Clap...  I'm sorry. I had thought you were someone else. May I have the name? Uh, huh. Yes, we have a file on her. Oh, my. You must be begging to get on with Guardian Angels Group with this record. How do you do it? Well, yes, Lust IS a powerful pull, but even us demons want back on the chain gang now and then. Will this be a solo trip, are you a glutton for punishment? Solo? Fine. I see you live in Miami, would she like someplace cold? We do have the "Hell Freezes Over" tour, which begins with a flight to Detroit in January where she will board a specially equipped snow barge to travel down the...

 Here on the chain gang No coffee for you High spirits abound Except on the news.

  The siren seemed distant. An older Mercedes with the plate KBL 1765 was in front of us.  "Hey, Sweetie. I'm going to lose this Charzard." She said with a grin.  Swerving to the right, the tires on the Pontiac started squealing on the set pavement. She was serious about getting away. A quick flash. The motorcycle smacked the driver's side with a loud thump. The car the windshield cracked and grass filled my mouth. Everything was quiet. I turned my head towards her. Blood was pouring down her face.  "Are you mine? The sound was garbled and choked. It wasn't clear whether it came from me or her.  "Maybe." Came the reply. "It's all a whispered dream, anyway." Two men came up to the driver's side window. Everything went black. 

  8 stacks 2 decks Suits descending Stacking Switching Solitary endeavor Prelude to a lonely night

 "Daddy?" "Yes, Sweetheart." "Is there life on Mars?" "I don't know." "How about Venus: "Not a clue." "What about The Big Dipper?" "I have no idea, but I hear Mom calling curfew." "I don't wanna!" "I'll tell her that." "Oh, O.K."

  Half-filled glasses sit on the table Orange contrast on snapdragon  Windchimes Dulcet tones fade into dreams It is their last stand

 Dandelion salad you say? As long as the leaves are picked small and are well washed, I'll eat it. The thing about dandelions is they are the cockroach of plants. Once they are established in a landscape, nothing short of nuclear warfare will get rid of them. They are amongst the first plants to grow after a controlled burn. And because puffball seed heads, a plant's prodigy can spring up several miles from its origin.  I learned a lot about Dandelions and other foraging plants from a teacher named Snow Bear. He is an old Hippie who adopted many of the old Cherokee ways. He taught which were medicine and which made good seasoning. He also taught me which woods are good for fire and which were toxic to burn (Rhododendron and Azalea). Over the years, I've taken a dozen of his classes and each time I come away with something new about the nature and woods around me.  I'm not going to be able to attend, but he is doing classes at  EarthSkills  in October. Maybe in t...

  In a boiler room in The Unorganized Territory of Fort Snelling, MN Rnnng! Good Evening, and thank you for calling Devil's Quill Communications, the eternal source for life detriment. My name is Sam Mudd. How may I serve you today? You are running for political office and need to make your opponent look like he came from Hell? All politicians come from Hell and get sent back from time to time. What is the name? Oh, yes. He got recycled from our Greed department. It seems he was too good at his job, so the boss sent him back topside. Oh, you didn't believe Reincarnation is real? It is. In fact, you, yourself are a reject from our Lust department, Loverboy. You liked tasting the goods too much. We tried transferring you to Petty Revenge, but obviously, it didn't work since we are having this conversation now. Me? I'm all right. Don't you worry about me. I built up enough cred in the Lincoln Affair to keep me out of the loop a while longer.  Anyway, I'll put this ...

The white marks slip  one by one by one into the dark mist.  Another trip into the drama.  What would it be this time? Weed? Liquor? Leave her behind for the other one? An opportunity cost from one girl to the other But there is a tie there Something in the wake of her smile Strong  Karmic Familial How far back did their trees cross? The driveway The door The knock. "Why are you here?" She got me again.

 Hey, Boss. Have you seen Chris? Why?  I need him to go to Newport Beach for a client. I'll go.  Nah, I need you to go to Monterrey. I got to go through Big Sur to get their, tight? Yes. Sure. 

Notice me Every clickbait title #noticeme Every music come on #noticemenow Every naked body NOTICE ME!! Connection with no accountability A waving target  For #spambots and #hackers Swimming to the school Stealing their souls For the Lollapalloza Called Artificial Intelligence Assimilate Resistance is futile. 

  Where does thy loyalty lay? Is it the King? This brave enterprise established? We embark on a noble purpose An adventure like no other To acquire fortune unencumbered by the Throne Then, true patriots, Are thee ready to seek death Rather than the subjection of the Gilded Boot? Forward, into battle  For it is just.

"A Revelation isn't good or bad. It's just reality. Proceed at the risk of Bubble Bursting." It's funny how the Universe, in this case by the comic strip "Non Sequitor", speaks to how blinders are taking away from our surroundings. We go on living on a prayer until reality smacks us in the face.  Statements like the above are proverbs and they try to explain the unknown.  Like trying to get a post in before the deadline Besser spät ais nie.

Return address 62 Blvd de St Germain A two-word message. "Venez vite." What does she need this time? Waiter brings Bordeaux. Chateaux he had never heard of. Satisfying pop Sweet cork Car horn out on Royal Why Paris or Rome?  New Orleans had better people. Shrugging shoulders, he turned the page over. A shorter message "Crepa" -Venez vite-"Come at once" en Français Crepa-"Drop dead" en Italiano

  So much stuff Collecting dust Celebrate as A collection. Piles in groups, And heaps. And leaps In my mind Can I run away From the detritus Around my space And simplify? Chances are I'll be 99 miles From L.A. Ignoring the sage advice.

Broken down buildings and junkies filled this part of Moreland Ave, one whose heyday was far in the past. A faded PBR sign became animated, beckoning him to stop. Have a drink and  forget your problems. Maybe pick up an American Woman for company. That was a lie. There would be no sugar tonight. Waking up with a headache didn’t interest him. Sarah was still dead.  A gold Cadillac with a sticker saying “In Memory of Darius, 1997-2008  was in front of him. Maybe he should put one of those on his car for Sarah? No. Can’t have the attention. He drove an anonymous metal lump. He tugged at his collar. God, it was hot. He shouldn’t have worn long sleeves. He flipped on the radio and rolled down his window . A song came on about being fine or closer to it. Another total lie. Nothing was ever fine. Mother’s whisky tinged voice began yelling in his ear. Talk to the lady. What she had to say may be bullshit, but validation and clarity in how to proceed was needed.  Nah. He was ...

  Life is funny until it isn't.  It seemed like yesterday Barry, Mark, Sam, and him were the Putzietones, at your service for Proms, Weddings, and Bars. They had started in Mark’s garage as an excuse to drink. One thing led to another and they found they played well together. Fun days or at least most of them were. The gigs paid for gas and some ass. Great when you didn't have responsibilities. About the time the record company noticed, life intervened.  Mary got pregnant and she and Sam got married. Mark got bored with it all and went back to school. That left Barry and him and the sketchy contract they had signed. They recruited a couple of people to take up the slack and finish up the work. After a year the band was another tombstone in the graveyard of broken dreams. Barry was lost without having an audience. He pissed off family and friends with his drunken antics. After one girlfriend kicked him out after a DUI, he found himself in a trailer outside of town. He miss...

Let's start over The Question didn't work Tuesday afternoon Wasn't In Flagrante Delicto Wasn't the passion of the soul But the Calladum arragnement was. 

Snip. Snip. Cut branch sticking to the glove. It doesn't matter Wherever she goes The roses Will shine under  The celestial night.  In 1961, my parents moved into what would be the largest home they ever owned. Slightly under an acre with a downsloped lot, the house had been vacant since it was constructed two years prior. And it was the lot that had scared everyone away. My mother thought it was a challenge. In the seven years we lived there, a group of pine trees were surrounded by rose and azalea bushes. To this day, the basic design is still there, although the subsequent owners added a pool and other hardscapes. It's a tribute to my mother's imagination. 

 Wife to work- Check Suet for the birds bought-Check Checked in with my 95 year old Mother in Law for Mother's Day-Check See the Niece who lives out of town-Check Plants planted-Check Yard cut-Only the back. I ran out of time. And they call this retirement. 

  I won't be told Where I can go And Can not go.  Tail lights Shimmer the horizon Breath grows short Sightlines dim As I approach the gate Sign points to parking left It is the last ride. 

  If you have been following along on Facebook and Instagram, you know I spent a week in that fabulous den of iniquity and corruption, New Orleans. It was a trip planned several times, each time getting postponed for one reason or another. Finally, the stars aligned. My wife and I got the wheels moving on Sunday morning for the seven hour trip. Unlike other trips I could name, we didn't run into much traffic either there or back. Which is a nice change from my usual experience.  So, how do you describe the city in a swamp where the dead are buried above ground? It is a Jack-Of-All-Trades place, a combination seaport and oil town with a mix of people you won't find anywhere else. As with many other seaports, bribery is how you get things done. There are different terms for it: taxes, donations, tips... Add them all up and your travel budget just went up 15%.  Bring folding money. None of these folks take cards.  Yeah, I'm being a parsimonious cynic.  It's also a ...

 Morning 4 scoops Quart of water Eight Minutes One sausage patty One egg One teaspoon of Tupelo Honey One waffle Let's start the day/ 

 Another week. Another deadline.  I get a note from Micro$oft to try their new "CoPilot" artificial intelligence feature.  Oh, why not. I'm lazy. You I would like a story on resurrection and angels Copilot Certainly! Here’s a short story about resurrection and angels: In the ethereal realm of light and serenity, where angels dwell in harmonious eternity, there was a tale whispered among the celestial beings—a tale of a mortal who defied the finality of death. The Resurrection of Aeliana In the mortal world, there was a young woman named Aeliana, whose heart was as pure as the first snowfall. Her kindness was a beacon of hope in her village, and her laughter was a melody that even the angels envied. One fateful night, a shadow crept into the village, a sickness that spread like wildfire, claiming many, including Aeliana. As she lay on her deathbed, her spirit called out, not for salvation for herself, but for the healing of her people. In the heavens above, an angel named ...

  Ah, Decisions, Decisions.  I've been trying to decide what the write would be this week. Am I going to be a good boy and pay the bills or go to the Home Center Store and buy a bunch of plants.  Why not both.  I get the the nursery aisle and am bumfuzzled at the the selection. But not to worry. I had been there a few weeks earlier and had drawn a plan. The only problem was one of the varieties was out of stock. That's as bad as the pizza place being out of the sausage to go with your pepperoni. But I found a substitute that worked and I spent the next hour playing in the dirt like a little kid.  Tomorrow, I'll go to the local nursery and get the next phase of plants. I still have to set up the vegetable pots, but they don't take very long.  I've also got a batch of blueberry bread in the oven.  Life is better than a bunch of whiny New Found Glory songs, for sure. 

  I was spending my morning doom scrolling Facebook. It's a bad habit and unproductive, I know. But it allows the time to pass while I drink my morning pot of coffee. I flip past a repost of a Garrison Keillor interview. I'd seen it before. It made fun of a church  I used to be affiliated with. The reason I'm no longer has more to do with internal politics than scripture. Down at the bottom was a post from a Faerie past who had moved on because of a specific faith issue. For no apparent reason, she reiterated her position in no uncertain terms. As I was debating whether to respond, my wife informed me it was time for her to go to work and the post drifted away into the timeline of doom. Ain't that a kick in the head. I've been thinking about it all day and it may have been sheer luck I was called away. My reply would have only furthered the break existing between us and better she stays in my past.  It's better than being called a turkey. 

In the DQ training room.. . "Alright, everyone. Take your seats and let's get started." A screen comes down from the ceiling. On it is an old timey streetlight.  "Welcome to Adventures in Gaslighting - An Advanced Course in Mind Games. I'm Don Draper and this," nodding to the blond on his right, "is Rachel Jezebel. You may remember us from your Deadly Sins training." Draper shuffles his notes. What is Gaslighting? It is a mind game where the subject is convinced truth is a lie and lie is truth. It is the basis of most modern marketing and has significant uses in politics and crowd control. "When I was topside, the subject was one of my specialties. I spent much of my time manipulating the public to buy things they did not need with money they did not have. And if the folks needed to go into debt to buy this stuff, the more money I and my client made. A good example was premium liquor. Often it is the regular stuff in a fancy bottle and people...