I might not know why, but I’ve got a pretty good idea why; here’s why; wrong’s the number one great-big-sign-on-the-highway polesitter and <whew> now there were five there to fight over who’s to * serenade and flowers * do it okay knock it * serenade and flowers * off damn you * serenade and flowers * damn you and damn you and * serenade anPERIOD by that now long-gone great big wallpaper superstore past which we normally would enter the northbound lanes of the interstate numbered all 287 {ghost}

Whoop!

Rich!

Seemsytha’s wapped up ‘rre back-alleys!

So there take that and take this kind fellows!

Take that and take this if you’re men!

Yes big fat strong hollow men!

Party!

WHOOP! no non no – p-p-p-p-p-push head out ‘nn’d s-s-smoke clearing—body; quick, follow!

Whoo.

Empty silent solid steel room.

But—“who”—“who”—catch breath.

Yes catch breath.

Okay. |late breaking late breaking|

<null>

<null>

Ack. So.

So where the hell were we?

S-scat backenda pup-tent, c’estergee-e Top-mayor and their McFreeze-dMcHenchamanette deeply willowed :yas thatz wright! Party! Quite deeply willowed!: hung ten off their boards until once more fully sensible. Like—like “Crafty Nation Cereal—Good for yer Mean-Streak”—t’ b’ kneaded by all n-n-ninnimalle trainers up this earthbounded strip-mall. God! Must you need to be told ever [‘illina ‘illina stil’ down t’ road hipsla-tango!] .ything? Must you be—told? Everything? Really everything? No imagination, really? No God-damned imagination at all? Wow. Wow. Then—PUT DOWN THIS BOOK!

NOW!

RIGHT NOW!

Party!

[ ¡Fiesta! ]

Wonderful!

So they restarted the plant = quelled the town’s fear of fire = {ghost} = and Bergeron’s Bulkermen [La Stahl all La Stahl] triggered the beaching for scrapping lllllllllllang! o’ what remained (if any) of Tapper “BB” Rose : hafter hash-recting h’ plaque in har’s honour JEEZ! : down the waterfront (off the long lashing training ground if you’re familiar) but—Hey, Pop Cuba! Where the hell you been, old man? It’s not been the same! / the horror / wow / hey dig them “Pink Christians” / opium-dream off mah side! / please cleanse men crank, Carmen Basilio it is time to get back to work volver al trabajo takaisin töihin reen al laboro it is back to work [volver] is time to get “al trabajo” takaisin time to get ’töihin reen’ al laboro back to back to work it volveri is al time trabajo to get {TAKAISIN} that universal töihin indoor “court game” reen court game al laboro “it is time to get that universal coin-operated indoor court game supercenter Carmen Basilio built here Mister GENERAL-MANAGER what is the what is what is the status is the status of getting that universal coin-operated indoor court game supercenter Carmen Basilio Carmen Basilio Carmen Basilio built?”

Mister GENERAL-MANAGER huh?

ĉu?

а?

‘diarisus U.?

‘toch?

Yep!

Yup. “casaluna! casaluna!” N’ so, c’est just like ringmasters fatly howling “all’unisono” in bitter tones crank, ‘La-Lune!’ they repaired out down ‘n away to obtain by way of stray cat support-staff a picture of who’s ‘heeze ‘gwonda-tined down the incompletely built gigantical Jai alai center (which even though its now termed “universal coin-operated indoor court game supercenter Carmen Basilio” they’ve found that at least in the interim “Jai alai center” is much ‘heezier to reversely-sween-swallow (out its other much more intelligible way) why don’t ya?) there were those same young men-tinios playing the Jai alai game { but being beginners doing so in a very rudimentary manner HiccuP }, c’est oo’ oof the cestas slashing the rubsoles squealing the time flow l-l-ling’d the bad passing the goods crank, the granite slab up (t’ top out their (heh heh heh)) back : wrench! :, c’est big flow and big after; and the return; fling! Fly! Pop! so Back! no they Catch! play are wrong very wrong get Fling! down and Fly! stop them Pop! stop them!

Get down and stop them!

Carmen Basilio?

Carmen Basilio.

“Isn’t this game great, great fun?”

“Yes it’s fun!”—UP no b-but now the Toply-mayoral blessed young Henchmanette took charge crank,  and rendered them down * without using their stunplug * back way-way-way phum, c’est Isn’t this game great, great No no stop fun? Yes it ‘n lop-it yo it’s fun! Get off you polesitter great-big-sign-on-the-highway one number the wrong’s; why here’s; idea good pretty, a got I’ve but why, know not might I. {ghost}

Jim Meirose's short fiction has appeared in leading journals. His novels include "Sunday Dinner with Father Dwyer"(Optional Books), "Understanding Franklin Thompson"(JEF), "Le Overgivers au Club de la Résurrection"(Mannequin Haus), "No and Maybe - Maybe and No"(Pski's Porch), and "Audio Bookies" (LJMcD Communications) coming in 2024. Gen'l info: www.jimmeirose.com @jwmeirose