I've been included in a Minnesota anthology "Under Purple Skies", now available on Amazon!

My second chapbook, "The Second Book of Pearl: The Cats" is now available as either a paper chapbook or as a downloadable item. See below for the Pay Pal link or click on its cover just to the right of the newest blog post to download to your Kindle, iPad, or Nook. Just $3.99 for inspired tales of gin, gambling addiction and inter-feline betrayal.

My first chapbook, I Was Raised to be A Lert is in its third printing and is available both via the PayPal link below and on smashwords! Order one? Download one? It's all for you, baby!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Cigareet? or It’s the Little Things

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the weekend, brought to you by a partnership between Dow Chemical and the Department of Transportation in conjunction with your local government and The Committee to Convince You That You Have Choices.

Once again, we ask ourselves questions regarding said weekend. What will the weather be like? Will I see friends? Will I wear that dreadful shirt again?

The answer to these questions – and any others you can think of – is found deep within the murky and danceable songs found on my iPod.

What? You didn’t know?

My iPod, set on “shuffle” and played during my morning commute, knows all, tells some.

Play along, won’t you? I have so little…

Feng Shui by Gnarls Barkley
Say it Again by Scribe, feat. Tyra Hammond *
Kick Drum Heart by The Avett Brothers *
Tighten Up by The Black Keys
The Hardest Part by Coldplay
I Feel You by Depeche Mode
Just Like U Said It Would B by Sinead O’Connor *
Tired of Being Alone by Al Green
Say Hey (I Love You) by Michael Franti & Spearhead
Shake It Out by Manchester Orchestra
10:15 on a Saturday Night by The Cure

This Friday’s prediction? It says, hey! All those people you love? You should hug them, ask them to dance, maybe take them to the Bearded Lady Motorcycle Freak Show on Saturday…

And speaking of freaks, I don’t know what’s going on lately, but I’ve been meeting them.

First the man on the bike – who pulled over to introduce himself as “Mike” yesterday, by the way – and then the man outside the yoga studio…

6:45 in the afternoon. After almost a full week of temperatures that hovered around the 110 degree mark, the 84 degrees was almost autumnal. I left the heated yoga studio in my yoga pants and top, and waited, on the corner, for my ride,.

Envision me, if you like, looking fabulous.

This is preferable to reality.

In actuality, my complexion, following physical exertion, leans towards spotty purple-ness. As earlier confessed, I’m a head-sweater, and should you ever see me following strenuous effort, words like “apoplexy”, “heat stroke”, and “did you know ‘aubergine’ is French for ‘eggplant?’” will spring to mind.

Also at this corner is a man. He is my age. Tall, thin, in tight black pants and a plain black tee shirt, chains running from a belt loop to the wallet in his back pocket, he has hair to his waist and one of those mustaches that is shaved bare in the middle, a look that has always disturbed me. He is wearing a black cap advertising his love of Motley Crue, heavy black motorcycle boots and mirrored sunglasses.

His bicycle leans against the brick building.

We give each other the nod.

I watch as he bends forward, pulls up his pant leg. Stuffed into a grayed sweat sock are folded bits of paper, a pen, what may have been a bag of salted, in-the-shell peanuts, and a pack of generic cigarettes.

He straightens up, opens the pack, and holds it toward me.

“Cigareet?”

I look into his mirrored sunglasses and smile, wave off the pack. “No,” I say, “but thank you so much for offering.”

He nods again, lights his own cigarette, bends forward and puts the pack back in his sock.

He throws his leg over the bike, straddling it. “See you around,” he says. He touches the brim of his cap and pushes off, whistling the opening strains of Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”…

I watch him, smiling, as he pedals down Washington Avenue.

Have I ever told you how much I love human beings?

They’re my favorite.

Have a great weekend, everyone. Don’t be afraid to come back tomorrow.







* If you have the time and inclination, I recommend these songs!

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Except for the stache, that sounds like The Edge from U2.

savannah said...

we can still surprise and delight each other without even knowing it, sugar! xoxoxoxo

Sioux Roslawski said...

The video that is linked to the Coldplay song is the most freakish video I've ever seen. Much more bizarre than "Harold and Maude."

Ms Scarlet said...

If we shave off the tache and cut his hair, then is he a 'poosible'?
Sx

Ms Scarlet said...

...possible!! Poosible?? Obviously I am still thinking:toilet paper.
SX

Glen said...

folk are folk - and where would we be without folk?

Loving the fact that I have finally found someone else who has 'The Lion, The Witch & The Cobra' that album got me through some tough times when I was training to be in the Navy as a wee 17 year old, and it is still very much a frequent player on my ipod. Classic and brilliant but so rare to find anyone else who has it. :-) happy weekend you!

Pearl said...

Joshua, Well U2 IS playing outdoors in Minneapolis Saturday!

savannah, people are just people, aren't they? And I have to wonder if he's told his friends about the freaky sweaty chick on the corner...

Sioux, ooh, is it?! I actually only listened to it, didn't see it. May have to check it out!

Scarlet, ah! I thought it might be some accent of which I had been unaware. :-) And yes: we need more information on international toilet paper...

Pearl said...

Glen, that album is fantastic. Bless her soul, Sinead has the voice of an angel. She gives me goosebumps...

Unknown said...

You are a woman after God's own heart.

They're His favorite, too!

Love you, and have a great weekend.

Apoplexy and aubergine made me snicker, by the way.

Especially because aubergine are us, as well. You hot little mama, you.

Pearl said...

Susan, how kind of you! I hope you have a great weekend as well. Make lots of sweet tea and BBQ -- that IS what the Southerners do in the summer time, yes? :-)

Pearl said...

HA! Regarding the video for the Coldplay song, um, yeah. :-) That's pretty weird. Unless you're really into dance duos who are 25 and 84.

Leenie said...

Humans are an odd lot, but we do come in plenty of sizes, shapes and personalities. I'm glad you keep yourself open enough that you're on the receiving end of Good Mornin's and cigarettes from biker dudes. Also glad you share your observations so that we who live in Poe-dunk with the same three dozen people are reminded to keep our head up and our eyes open to those around us.

Pearl said...

Hey, Leenie. You know, I grew up in a number of small towns, and I think of that very thing quite often. While I witness rudeness and idiocy from people I don't know, I'm also lucky enough to witness small kindnesses between people, and it may sound weird, but it keeps me grateful, you know what I mean?

jenny_o said...

Restores the faith in mankind, does it not? The unlikeliest ones sometimes do.

A much better lead in to your weekend than yesterday! Have a good one.

Anonymous said...

Oh boy...he's introduced himself. Hang on, next it will be, "what are doing tonight sweetie?".

The Jules said...

He's got cigareets. He's probably got whusky. I exepct you were his attemtp to get a wild, wild woman.

Grr.

Belle said...

He told you his name. I will await further developments.

A few years ago when I was at a liquor store a guy asked me to go to a party with him. I was like 58 years old and he looked 35 (not handsome). I was thrilled to be asked. I like strange encounters.

Val said...

Okay, first I read that as: "He is wearing a black CAPE advertising his love of Motley Crue..."

But it didn't really change my perception of him.

Macy said...

Cigareets!!! Sadly I'm still at the stage of standing near smokers to inhale - even when they aren't smoking...
Would be so tempted to attend the Bearded Lady Motorcycle Freak Show for the same reason...

The Spaghetti Westerner said...

You surely do meet the most interesting people! I love hearing about it.

Unknown said...

Your observations of the human race are always captivating.

Vinny C said...

Socks are still only one step below a fanny pack as a form of storage.

imbeingheldhostage said...

Oh, I loved this! I don't even know where to start, so just know that I loved this!
And ipod shuffle readings are always so fun :-)

Watson said...

As always, your stories delight me Pearl! Thank you

Gigi said...

So, it's "Mike" is it?? On a first name basis now, are we? What did I tell you? He's gunning for you Pearl!

And the other guy? Well, the image of him peddling away on a bike, as in bicycle, instead of a Harley is hilarious to me!

Have a great weekend!

kal said...

You do attract them don't you? Maybe they sense in you someone who will evaluate them and the situation in a way unlike anyone else out there. Even the crazies like to be listened to. The world doesn't explode because of people like you.

Shelly said...

Cigareet man sounds a lot nicer than the overheated, mean, homeless one you encountered. It sure would be easier to be nice, for anyone, if we all had a little relief from this heat!

Oilfield Trash said...

Your iPod did much better today, love some old Cure.

Bill Lisleman said...

You were nice. You could have said that you didn't want his cancer stick or something to that effect.

Hey check - Sunday Sunday - the first LLL begins you should join.

Kavi said...

Ah human beings. What variety. What diversity. Dont we present a pretty curious to anyone who chooses to look !?!

I wonder what the animals must be saying..

Jhon Baker said...

That made me smile. People in their natural habitat can be so interesting.

Tempo said...

Gotta love a trier...

Pat said...

I bet you see tache man again. And then what?

KaLynn ("MiMi") said...

Your town is full of strange and wonderful folks! I only met the wonderful last week. I had plans to get together with you if possible but it was jammed with work. Maybe next time we can meet.

I hope I did not bring the horrendous temps with my visit, though I was hoping I would bring some rain back with me. Alas that has not happened yet.

I cannot imagine 110 all week, 110 on my back porch was bad enough without having to be in it constantly!

Prayaing relief is store for all of us!

Dawn@Lighten Up! said...

Know this: He wants you.

IWASNTBLOGGEDYESTERDAY said...

great story, good music, what else is there???