that often as they

converse with me

I find their

conversation

vapid or

worse

but I hear them

out,

often interjecting a

little nod

or an affirmation

such as, “yes…”

or a simple

“uh huh…”

but I never turn

directly away

and focus my attention

elsewhere

especially in

mid-speech.

when they take their

attention away

like that

I do believe that

they think that they

are being

worldly and

observant.

but it’s terribly

clear.

don’t they know

I can

read this

behavior?

it’s true that people

can be together

too much,

too long,

it can be awful,

it can be a bore

and a

grind.

and then when I suggest

to the lady

that perhaps we had

best forget the

whole matter and

go our separate

ways,

once again

I get a common

reaction:

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN?”

then there are

tears.

as if all

that has occurred

had not

occurred,

as if all was sweet

and

well.

but the continual

nuances cannot

be ignored.

all disinterest isn’t

sexual.

“YOU ARE A BASTARD!

YOU ARE A HORRIBLE

MAN!”

yes, yes, yes I am

and the gods and the

ladies have made

me so.

the finger

the drivers of automobiles

have very little recourse or

originality.

when upset with

another

driver

they often give him the

FINGER.

I have seen two adult

men,

florid of face

driving along

giving each other the

FINGER.

well, we all know what

this means, it’s no

secret.

still, this gesture is

so overused it has

lost most of its

impact.

some of the men who give

the FINGER are captains of

industry, city councilmen,

insurance adjusters,

accountants and/or the just plain

unemployed.

no matter.

it is their favorite

response.

people will never admit

that they drive

badly.

the FINGER is their

reply.

I see grown men

FINGERING each other

throughout the day.

it gives me pause.

when I consider

the state of our cities,

the state of our states,

the state of our country,

I begin to

understand.

the FINGER is a mind-set.

we are the FINGERERS.

we give it

to each other.

we give it coming and

going.

we don’t know how

else to respond.

what a hell of a way

to not

live.

don’t forget

there is always somebody or something

waiting for you,

something stronger, more intelligent,

more evil, more kind, more durable,

something bigger, something better,

something worse, something with

eyes like the tiger, jaws like the shark,

something crazier than crazy,

saner than sane,

there is always something or somebody

waiting for you

as you put on your shoes

or as you sleep

or as you empty a garbage can

or pet your cat

or brush your teeth

or celebrate a holiday

there is always somebody or something

waiting for you.

keep this fully in mind

so that when it happens

you will be as ready as possible.

meanwhile, a good day to

you

if you are still there.