Monday, September 28, 2009

Bowling Alley Smell

In a bowling alley in Honolulu, Hawaii, Steve chats with the shoe rental clerk about the state's new dollar coins. Steve decides to take a few home as souvenirs and changes his mind about changing $20.00. He gets only 4 of the coins as change after paying his rental shoes.

The bowling alley features a restaurant and an arcade, Steve notes as he takes in the signature smell.

The arcade features ultraviolet lighting which accentuates the bright orange and green patterns, as well as his white Calvin Klein Underwear against the dark walls and floors.

"No pockets for tokens," he mutters.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Room 217

In room 217 in a hotel owned by J. Anderson there is a giant flooded hole in the tile around the toilet in the bathroom.

In the living room closet a guest has hung a Primal Rage duffel bag in between antique wooden bassinets.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Arcade World Tour

Waiting to get into an arcade in Tokyo, they only let a few people in every five minutes.

The dimly-lit floor features dozens of classic arcade cabinets from the 'golden era' of American arcades.

I rush to an empty Moon Cresta and start playing, memories of my childhood - bottlecaps, dumpster diving, smashing fluorescent tube lights, and Juice Newton singing "Angel of the Morning" - come flooding back.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

08/08/1938

First day at new school
I'm late so I find my seat
I'm in the back row

Classwork is assigned
my good friend Sean is absent
he moved to New York

turns around to face me and
declares a thumb war

He points and I see
a prosthetic finger made
with a green pepper

Thursday, September 3, 2009

How To Live On Handouts

Today is Free Pizza Thursday at Pizza Hut!

I asked a girl behind the counter where the free samples were and she pointed to a counter behind me. I grabbed three slices of cheese pizza without first locating a plate, then also grabbed three paper towels and folded them to accommodate the pizza slices, which I also folded - triangle on top of triangle in a letter-fold, then awkwardly by rolling the point of the triangle up to the crust. After all this, with both my hands full of drippy greasy pizza, I noticed there was Canadian bacon and pineapple.

I walked back to the apartment complex where Gary was organizing a kickball game. I went around to Kevin's and Maya's to see if they could play.

I saw Kevin through the open front window sitting in the dining room, his eyes glistening and face flushed. At the far end of the hallway stood a dark shadow. Kevin whispered, "I have to work on my homework, Steve. Sorry."

Maya was leaning against the hallway outside her front door. "Tonight is family time and I messed it all up," she whimpered up at me.

I thought then how so often and unfairly the stress and problems of parents are confusingly twisted then projected onto their children.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

I Don't Dream

Melatonin: no flashing lights or lucidity, only Jack Nicholson gargling a mouthful of miniature red pencils.