The Patriot

Foxboro Jan 15White, icy, damp and strong, the snowman appeared in the courtyard as if just visiting.  We fashioned him, or made him into something fashionable with his New England Patriots bling [the week before the superbowl].  If you build a snowman big enough, life-size, you cannot help but want to get a picture with the guy.  He with Clive’s hat keeping his snowy head warm and his glaring orange eyes, spinning around in eye sockets from the wind… and his frozen carrot nose, borrowed from the kitchen in the lobby.  The twig for a mouth made him rather grim so we tried to cheer him up a bit with the Patriot’s bling.

It got colder and wetter as the rain started, and we left for the warmth of the lobby. A short time later we looked out and our poor Patriot, standing there toppled over and became another pile of snow and was no more.  He had lasted less than an hour but in his short snowy life had been kind enough to stand quietly for a snapshot with one of his creators.

Improbability

‘yes but its not going to happen is it ?’

”and why not then ?”

‘well, I mean to say’

‘well perhaps you may be right’

‘it ain’t gonna happen’

‘improbable really, its nothing, don’t know what you’re worried about’

‘i mean, ‘whats the chances ?”

‘she’ll be right mate’

‘go’on get on with it~’

‘yes but it ain’t you doing it is it ?’

‘so what are you going to wear then ? You know.. smart casual, business casual, cocktail ?

‘what’s wrong with what i’ve got on — right now — i mean ?.

‘well its interesting isn’t it’

‘.. the belt..’

‘it’s buckle is a jade dragon head, a friend of mine in China gave it me’

‘…and the boots ?’

‘Texas Boots, also with a curious design but really soft leather’

‘…but the shirt is strange too..’

‘sheer clear polyester’ totally see through… but somewhat electro-intensive’

and the hat ? Why the hat ?  It’s way past sundown.

‘the hat is keeping my thoughts at bay.  I find that’s important at these events’

‘why ? what’s the worst that could happen, not wearing a hat ?’

‘any random thought might just escape, while i was not thinking for a minute.’

‘that’d be highly improbable.’

‘Maybe so, but even one highly improbable random thought if it escapes unnoticed, it can really mess up a conversation.  People all stop and look at me and say ‘What’s that got to do with anything ?’

‘and the jade bit ? on the belt ?’

‘That’s actually to catch them, ..

.. the random stray thought that mightn’t escape.

‘Yes, this jade dragon, has it’s head open, and can catch any stray thought’.

‘mmm.. not so sure about the belt… it’s not really cocktail is it ?’

‘No… yes it is, she’ll be wearing a bracelet of some kind, right ?.’

‘Yes, ok’

‘it might probably be jade right ?’

‘maybe’

‘So !… I’ll just flash me Green Jade Dragon head belt and offer her the same !.’

Last Wednesday

Cows must wonder, with their brown soft almost unknowing eyes. What bright shiny things these humans drive.  How heavy they land with wheels breaking off, all of a sudden screeching and tearing rubber before flying and bouncing crunch over a tree..

The flies themselves stopped their wings momentarily and took off for the car now stranded on the barbed wire fence.  Three of us got out of the car and stood around on the side of the isolated stretch of road looking at the wreck.

‘Yeah, Sorry about the car’

‘Don’t worry about it..you ok ? … needed a new one’

Some time later trucks stopped and cars stopped.  People got out and came over to see if everyone was ok.

‘Is anyone still in the car ?’

‘Yeah- I saw what happened – it was that truck’

‘How’s the towie going to get it off the fence ?’

‘Got a pair of pliers ?.. that should do the trick’

‘Oh, thanks for stopping.’

‘I’m a nurse.  Anyone get hurt ?’

‘No – well just a scratch and a bump on the head a bit’

‘Flies are bad eh ?’

‘Was it a kangaroo ?’

‘No – a truck trying to act like one’