Monday, December 06, 2004

Yesterday
Strange things to see on a Sunday:


-Crazy homeless man shouting loud on the el. His voice is just a low rattle beneath my headphone music of sappy 90's rock. I turn it down.
"Only 20 more days 'til christmas. Why do we celebrate Christmas?" he asks in a lecture/preacher tone.

The kid across from me shakes his head and shrugs, his glossy black curls swishing against his jacket.

"Some say it's the birth of Jesus Christ." the man goes on. "Merry Christmas...Merry Christmas..." he sings, deep and smooth. "Don't anyone remember the Nat King Cole Christmas album?"


-In the bookstore, standing in line. I hear "por qua" behind me and feel a rough nudge at my shoulder.

"Sorry." the French man says. He is yummy. Wide brimmed brown hat, brown leather jacket and tight jeans. He lights a cigarette, once outside with a sharp flick of a match.


-On State and Congress, I wait for the 147. A pick-up truck of screaming boys with their faces painted: orange X across the nose and cheeks and the rest blue, slows for the intersection. The boy in the passenger seat looks me in the eye and goes, "yeeeeeaaaaoooohhhhh!" his mouth stretched oval to its limit.


posted at 1:13 PM |