Video Store

There used to be this video store in my town called “Video Sight and Sounds”. It was in a quiet strip mall and it had a black sign with yellow letters. I’d ride my bike down there every time I had an extra $2.14. That is what it cost to rent a Nintendo game. But really it was worth the two bucks just to walk around the place. Action movies in the back, new releases in the front and there was a room with a sheet as a door and we all knew that’s where the dirty movies were. The 80’s/90’s vibes were immeasurable. Picking out the Nintendo game was risky business. You got the game for 2 days and if it sucked you were ass out of that weeks allowance. My way around this was go with repeats of what I knew was good. Tecmo Bowl, TMNT, Double Dragon.. But don’t fall for the fancy covers. Every Star Wars game sucked shit. May as well use my money for baseball cards and a Jolt Cola.

Yard Work

We were saving up for a Swiss Army Knife. had to have it. Summer yard work business. Complete with hand made flyers . This was gonna be our ticket to summer riches. Dustin knew this, he knew everything it seemed. Dustin was 11 I was 9, and we had a plan. After many unsuccessful marketing campaigns we finally got a gig at a pretty fancy house. Single mom who was a college professor. Dope. She laid out the ground rules with a firm grace and kindness. She wanted all the grass cut and the bushes trimmed. Pretty standard operation I suppose and Dustin knew what to do. It was hot that day in the Pacific Northwest summer. But we were jamming. I mowed and bagged, he clipped away at the shrubs. We even trimmed the walkways. About 2 hours in and we were just cleaning up when she came out wearing a summer fedora and a tank-top. She had a tray with two glasses of some kind of fruit punch. She handed the picturesque refreshments to me and Dustin. I was astonished and delighted to see she had garnished them with little tropical umbrellas. She had even put a Marciano cherry on top of each one. I honestly had only seen such things on TV. What a score. I was beginning to see what wonders lie about in the world. She scanned the yard slowly with her June cleaver like eyes. “you boys sure did a great job, thanks for trimming the walkway too!” No problem ma’am Dustin quickly and smoothly responded. we sipped the drinks as she stood there with her arms crossed, further evaluating the yard. She turned around and said “well guys, how does four dollars each sound, is that ok?”. Was this ok? 4 dollars each to a 9 year old in 1990 like was a Jose Canseco grand slam to the upper deck. I almost gasped and yipped with glee but just then Dustin shot me a telepathic glance that said in the most crystal clear of all terms “easy killer” lassoing my overzealous enthusiasm. A brief pause and Dustin politely and shrewdly replied ” Well I guess 4 dollars sounds ok”. I remained silent alternating my glances at her and him. “Great I will go get my purse” she said cheerfully and headed up the winding walkway to her front door. I exhaled and looked at Dustin. “You see Michael you gotta play it cool” he calmly explained. “If you jump for joy like 4 dollars is the deal of the century, she may change her mind and lower her offer”. I suddenly understood. I understood that he was exactly right and I understood his business acumen was razor sharp. I also understood that we were both walking away with 4 bones apiece. Soon she emerged from her pristine house with 4 crisp neat bills for each of us. There is nothing like cash money for a hard days work. We finished our drinks on the sidewalk in the heat next to our cart full of equipment and the lawn mower, 400% wealthier than we started the day. “See man, I told you we were gonna make big money”. I downed the last of my fruit punch. “Hell yeah we are Dustin, hey..are you gonna eat your cherry?

HANDS

I grew up across the street from a junior high school.

It had a football field with the old 50’s style goalpost.

Me and my neighbor and friend Jake would play football there.

One Saturday a bunch of 12 year olds showed up ”

They may as well have been gods.

They allowed us to play. Me and Jake on opposite teams so we could guard/offset each other.

I was an undersized kid.

I broke free.

12 year old QB saw me and launched a high arcing bomb.

I tracked the ball like a pop fly.

caught it in the end zone.

Touchdown.

My 12 year old teammates swarmed me with adulation and praise.

“hands, we gonna call this kid hands”.

I was open.

I just made the catch.

A Damn Shame

I watched an old Movie starring Cher Yesterday. Moonstruck was the title.

I kept thinking about it for the rest of the day.

A good movie will do this.

I gotta say Cher is a pretty talented actress.

I really love film, writing, cinema and the like.

Deniro was incredible in the 80’s

I like those good actors, there is something intrisically beautiful about the craft.

Too bad they are all such satanic cultists.

Getting Lost

I got a job delivering pizzas my senior year of High School.

I was a decent delivery boy if I must say so myself.

No GPS, maps.

One night I got lost, it was Friday so extra busy.

I was worried sick and pressing.

I must have back tracked around side roads for 40 minutes.

Finally found it.

I was scared to death to explain to my manager why I was so late.

His Name was Jeff Watkins.

No joke, he signed in at almost 400 pounds.

His feet were so fat his shoes folded over on themselves.

Jeff I got lost and I was trying to find it and… “Mike no problem” he stopped me..

Getting lost makes you a better driver.

Still sticks with me.

Don’t be afraid.

Get Lost.

Waking up

Imagine you have been in a Coma since Thanksgiving and you wake up at present moment.

You go home and everyone is wearing masks and the streets are empty.

You ask your family: “ What is going on, what did I miss”?

Family: Well there’s a CORONA virus going around it’s a global pandemic!!

You:You’re kidding me that is awful, what is the Virus??

Family: Well it transmits like the flu and you can end up on a respirator. It is dangerous. The news is reporting 24/7… Everything is shut down!!

You: Shut down??

Family: Yes Schools, non essential business, parks, beaches, restaurants, bars, theaters. Pretty much everything but grocery stores. The Cops will take you to the jail if you take your child to the park or you walk on the beach.

You: Oh my gosh!! How long do I have to survive if I catch it?? This sounds like “The Stand”..

Family: Well you probably won’t show any symptoms or very mild symptoms. Most people recover fully. The survival rate is being reported by various Health orgs as between 97.8- 99.4. Even those over 80 are extremely likely to survive.People with diabetes and heart disease as well as other health issues are at higher risk.

You: That sounds concerning but there aren’t people lying dead in the streets?

Family: No everything is stable and most hospitals have excesses in rooms, beds etc… Several doctors are speaking out against restrictions but they are immediately silenced by the media and the celebrities.. Bad news is we are going to lose our house and millions are losing their jobs and businesses.

You: This makes no sense, are you sure we are getting the truth? Wake up like me!

Family: Well I just don’t know, the politicians say it is for the greater good. And don’t say that so loud someone might hear you.

Pacific Ocean

Good gravy I love the ocean

Fuck the morning is beautiful

Coffee and watching the waves

Start walking up the coast

Who needs GPS screw it

Pepper and Sublime pumping

It’s warm today

keep walking

Stop here for a taco and Corona

This dudes chill as hell

Love these vibes

Keep walking

Never felt so alive

Almost there

I think

Go for a swim.

I’ll be back.

The Blob

I remember watching a movie when I was about 8 years old

Sitting on the living room floor

It was a Saturday afternoon and it was one of those cheesy SCI-FI Films

It was called “The Blob”

This slimy blob just sort of oozed through the city assimilating anything in its path

It would eventually threaten to swallow up the whole town

If memory serves, a group of teenagers blew it up or burned it

Something like that

Got me thinking

It’s kind of like our Dictator

We have a dictator?

Donald Trump?

No it’s not the Donald

I almost said it was the media

But thats just a part of the Blob

It’s also the Internet, Facebook, T.V. Snapchat , Hollywood, Celebs

Celebs are the fucking worst. Like preachy evil droids

Basically anything that can burrow into your psyche

Collectively these things are The Blob

The Blob is our dictator

People are scared shitless of the Blob

Say the wrong thing

It doesn’t matter if you pledged allegiance to the Blob

You shouldn’t have worn that shirt

Blob has spoken

Just fucking try the Blob

No Mercy

It will swallow you into it’s mass until you are muck

Somebody better slow this thing down

Maybe a couple of greasers

Just like I saw on TV

Breakfast

Breakfast

How are your Hands feeling

Arthritis

But you can cook

I’ll help

“Now boil the potatoes”

In the skillet

Cast Iron

Grandma is guiding me

Season the hash browns

Eggs

The kitchen

Aroma

She is so kind

Never a cross word in my presence

Bacon sizzles

We save the grease

We’re talking

Thats the best

I fill her cup with coffee

Just a half cup

Toast is last

Time to eat

“You’re a good eater”

The cats are so funny

She feeds them a bite of egg

They love her

“you did such a good job”

Thanks grandma

I miss you

I’m always thinking of you

The Place

The Landscape was arid

The landscape was hot

He walked

The sun seared down

Devoid of rest

How did I find this place

What arteries of life brought me to my present setting

I miss the ocean

I miss the green

I miss the cool breeze

I feel hot

I feel morose

There ahead

I see

A solitary garden

Three small trees

shades of green and brown

Go to it

A sliver of solitude

Comfort

Sit

Revel in this moment

I will cherish this place

These 3 trees

Beauty