A.G.E's Joint

Rrrrrinnngg! Good Day and thank you for calling Devil's Quill, your answer to all that is annoying you. My name is Atlas, how may I help? Your classmate is prettier and smells better than you? And all the good people say it is your fault?  Before we start, may I ask how old you are? 13? That's not fair. Normally, I would refer you to our Mean Girls Department, but I have a program called Casseopeia that works wonders for Mother and Daughter issues like this. It is a downloadable phone app using Artificial Intelligence to create ugly selfies spread on all the Socials. You just move me to any black square. By the time they realize what has happened, they will have lost the promise of the stars. Just remember what the goal is: revenge. Will it make you popular? I'm not sure Ms. Wednesday, you are one of us, anyway. Satisfied? I'm on my way.  Click

  Waiting Taming the fear  Of the call Sure to come. A whole life Dropped into the final hole. The stop sign we all come to.

  Just this once I want to be a winner Just this once I wish for peace Just this once I wonder about the handbasket Just this once Over the echos Of just this once.

The light show was going over the horizon.  A weekend stand Only that.  Two people in a lost city  Caught on the rebound Passing the time. The sea was angry.  Earrings and things bobbed with the waves.  Secret places found Promises denied Lies kept The pier was gone when he woke Washed to sea.  And so was she There was nothing to remember.  Not her name, anyway.  Only the voices in his head  Calling his name. 

This was turning out to be an interesting night. A girl from work asked if he'd like to go to a game night at a friend's house. They needed another couple. Oh, why not?  She was nice enough and it was better than looking at some rerun. He arrived at her apartment when told. She was nicely dressed and ready to go, which was a nice change from the last date he'd been. In due time they arrived at the host's place. About 10 people he didn't know introduced themselves. He'd never been one for small talk, so outside of a quick handshake he wandered toward where the food was and just watched.  After a while, the host brought out a copy of "The Amazing Carnac", based on the old Tonight Show gag. He had played it before. A lottery draw was done and he was selected as the first contestant. The envelope lay on the table in front of him. He was reluctant. Something told him the road of life was about to hit a curve.  "Do it. Do it." Everyone chanted. Fin...

  I am at the last verse in my life. What do you do when the dreams all go by and all you hear is the doom and gloom of the squawk box?  Do you cheer the doomers on? Do you wish to wander far away? Do you wonder if what you did was right? Or did you waste your time? The time was always right to do what was right, but was it at all? Only time will tell.

  May the new year Be as a lark ascending A crescendo to a forte Never in a minor key