Overcommitted.

My soul is like salt water taffy,

stretched in two directions,

sweet,

but ridden with salt.

Sweetens your tongue,

then makes it bitter.

Surely, the taffy will

snap soon.

But what will be left in the middle?

Things You Don't Say to an Officer

He had an apologetic tone to his voice as he leaned toward the driver's side window.

(I didn't afford him the dignity of the view in my eyes.

I hid them behind my sunglasses:

my only weapons stashed in that car.)

"I believe you officer when

you say tailgating is the number one cause

of accidents in this area,

but trains and driving too

slowly are the number one causes of being

late to class."

The green in the grass laughed.

Bouquet

He stands out of place, in a tailored suit outdoors. Instead of overloaded shopping bags, he carries a bouquet. His patent black-leather shoes clap against the concrete sidewalk as he paces past after each outlet store. Their headless manikins fail to catch his attention with their brand name clothes. The sales signs also fail in their pursuit of his cash.

He runs his hand through his hair, smoothing the hopelessly wayward strands of hair back into place. His watch beeps, making him jump. Then his head picks up and his gaze drifts among the faces in the walking crowds. None of their faces hold him for long. He hasn't found her yet.

There's a Reason Short People Jump Up and Down at Concerts....

Note: Words in quotes are  said either by the members of Flatfoot 56, Project 86, or the fans at a recent concert in Portland, OR. Words in italics are my thoughts. Fifty percent of them should be read with sarcasm.  

One of these days I'm gonna raise a kid just like this guy did, and take her to Project 86 concerts. She's guaranteed to have amazing taste in music and serious angst by age six. No worries though, I'll frolic with her to Flatfoot 56 to balance everything out.

"If you don't leave here with bruises, bloodied bodies, and a piece of your skull on the concert floor, something's wrong."  

Circle pit!?

"Put your arm around the person next to you, and girls, if a guy tries to cop a feel, deck him in the face."

Not only does he play bagpipes, but he gets bonus points for wearing a kilt.

"Ninth reason why we love our fans: some of them love songs off our first album even though we never play them."

Oo...fog machines.

"We love you!" "Run!"

Somebody should name their band To Be Announced, or TBA for short. Really.

"We regularly post on Facebook and other evil social-networking sites."  

Is that flowers he has tattooed on his arm? Does that say: 'I'm sensitive'? Must be, I think he's married.

"Hopah!"