Michael Beeson's Research

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crack apathetic grotesque

Crack apathetic grotesque

‘He is presently engaged, I’m afraid. Thank you for calling.’ One day I went to ask St Anthony of Padua to help me to stop mourning. I can still see myself in the church, before the statue of the saint, to the left, among the fine sarcophagi of Venetian admirals. A man in front of me was resting his forehead against the stone slab; he had such a sad and beautiful face, there was so much rigidity and pain in him, and his exhausted head touched the ground with such weariness that a miracle took place within me. I’m a wretch, I told myself; how shameful! How could I dare compare my sorrow of a lost child, for whom life has scarcely begun, with someone in this distress? “I like the idea of having the service near the grave,” I said. “How many people have given money?” Long love. So there’s a measure. A length of love. We watched a cartoon movie about a little beaver named Barney who had been driven out of the forest by a fire and who had to make a life for himself in the city. There he met cats and dogs, humans and other displaced forest denizens, struggled to survive, and finally found a natural paradise where the waters were clear and there was need for a dam. ‘That’s eight figures, Dessie. A minute ago, you said you needed seven.’ It was the three semi-Ds all over again. “No. They give him a summons an’ send him home.” A policeman was standing at the door, but Sponer rushed past him. He had had enough of policemen; he was going to talk directly to the inspector. When he entered the charging room he saw three or four officers who were trying to restrain a drunk who had just been brought in. Don’t talk about drug dens. That was in a past life. ‘Yeah. Disapplied.’ crack apathetic grotesque Reggie tried not to eavesdrop. He sat down at the table near the window and looked out at the sun damage growing white across his truck’s red paint like a beard. I’ll have to get a new truck soon, he figured to himself, if I plan to drive into town for groceries or to lecture the Future Farmers at the high school for much longer. The truth was he didn’t want to leave the farm ever again, for any reason. He could get some livestock, he thought, plant new crops for food — he could learn how to self-sustain. The Future Farmers could meet here if they really wanted to learn about farming, which he doubted more and more every session. If he stayed put at the farm, he could give his truck to Charitye. He enjoyed the pun, inscribing it to his memory for when he’d make a speech at her next birthday party or at her graduation ceremony. He’d be welcomed into the family’s celebration, having wrapped one of those giant bows around the truck. Someone might click a knife against a glass: Uncle Reggie wants to say something! Then he’d stand up and tell the story of how he first came up with the idea:You know, originally, I planned on giving this truck over to charity.… “What changes!” “You serve on the sloop?” he asked the man. The journey took about twelve minutes. At the station he got out, paid, waived a porter, and entered the station with the cases in his hands. In one of the halls he put down the cases by a side exit, threw his coat on top and waited a couple of minutes. In the meantime he smoked a cigarette. Then he picked up his things again and left the station by the exit leading into the city. Arnbjartur places a pair of coffee cups decorated with golden flowers on the kitchen table, which is covered with a worn oilcloth bedecked with the Icelandic Yule Lads. It’s a match for the red Christmas lights shining in the kitchen window. Then he reaches for a parcel wrapped in brown paper, with two types of rubber bands around it. He takes his sweet time unwrapping a blue velvet box, folding the paper neatly afterward, stretching a rubber band back around it. He takes three polished silver teaspoons from the box and lays them on the table, sitting down unexpectedly at the same time, though the kettle’s in fact boiling. He looks straight at me with wide child’s eyes and asks: What’s this trip you’re taking? “Do you think I’m used to living in such hovels?” he said in disgust. Half an hour later Duncan had done what he could to staunch the bleeding and clean the wounds. The needle with silk thread and the sterile bandages he needed would have to wait until Edentown. For one short moment Woolford stirred toward consciousness. He reached up, grabbing Duncan’s arm, though he showed no sign of recognizing his friend. “They’re all going to die! Every last man will die!” he uttered with desperate effort, then collapsed..