Saturday, February 28, 2009

Alice's Restaurant


I had decided to take a brief hiatus from blogging when I realized it was the one year anniversary of the Wordzzle. Thanks Raven for a year’s worth of wordy delight!!!



ThisWeek's Ten Word Challenge will be: Netflix, mortgage, skunk, flagrant, the New York Times, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, perpendicular, geometry, crabby, shoveling snow

Mini Challenge: pragmatic, crystal ball, laundry, safflower oil, Gregorian chants, skunk

If I had the pocket edition of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, where would I go? The thought was utterly capricious. It had no place in a purposeful day. But the more Barry Stern tried to extinguish it, the more it flared up like a trick candle on a birthday cake.

Why not just pretend, cajoled the Cat in the Hat. What if you could transport yourself anywhere in the universe? Like a mouse slinking through the period at the end of this sentence.

No cartilage. No need for Archimedes, geometry or perpendiculars. A tunnel to your dreams.

Barry had cultivated his pragmatic side so that his mortgage was on automatic pay, safflower oil was substituted for butter, and his whites were meticulously sorted from his darks on laundry day.

The hypnotic drone of the spin cycle helped to release Harry from all his tedious concerns. Well just for fun, then.

If I could go anywhere.

I would

be

swirling fine cognac at the Café Mandolin on the Adriatic

locking legs in a sinuous tango under Piazzollo’s embrazo

pin feathers tucked in a death defying peregrine dive

anemone swaying in the shallows of a sandbar in the Antilles

Casal’s quiver disturbing the strings

my five year old self riding the comet’s tail

But what good is all this reverie when I am stuck in Saskatchawan shoveling snow with trace of skunk in it? Enough to make one crabby and downright dejected if not for the Netflix movie and a Greygoose greyhound I have planned for this evening. While I don’t have a crystal ball, I do know that the Sunday edition of the New York Times will be sitting on my stoop tomorrow morning. And I will wake to fresh dark roast and Gregorian chants on the turntable. Antiphons, if not antipodes.

Still. If I could have one flagrant wish. I would go to Alice’s Restaurant where you can get anything you want. And I would order everything bathed in butter and draped with bacon.

10 comments:

Richard said...

I was knocked out by this post. Fabulous writing and awesome imagination and imagery. The winter must surely be inspiring you. Congrats on a great piece of writing and thanks for a great read.

Jeff B said...

Just walk right in it's around the back. Just a half a mile from the railroad track.....

Dr.John said...

Imagination at its very best. A great story. It set me to thinking " Where would I go?". Good stories make you think.

bettygram said...

It is great to dream and you wrote a very good story of a dream.

Raven said...

You're such a great writer! Thanks for taking a break from your break and joining in.

Dianne said...

this is lucious to read! the back and forth from the reality of his day to the wonderful images of his dreams

it made me lightheaded - in a delightful way

Christopher said...

You really struck a chord with me on this one. I've been back twice to read and re-read it. Lovely.

gabrielle said...

Richard - Winter is truly an inspiration. A season for reflection and introspective flight. I am honored that you enjoyed the piece.

Jeff B - You can get anything you want...

Dr John - Glad the story sparked your imagination.

Bettygram - Dream dream dream. All you have to do is dream.

Raven - My pleasure! Always.

Diane - Lucious. Wow!!! I am glad that you enjoyed the tidal variations of the day.

Christopher - I guess there is a part of me that is letting go. You are lovely too. You know.
Christopher -

Carletta said...

I'm so glad I finally had the chance to catch up with the wordzzles.
I loved the story. I was singing just like Jeff. :)
'draped in butter and bacon'- mmmm. :)

Natalie said...

You certainly have a way with words. Excellent post, again. "Draped in butter and bacon" sounds like how Dean requests every meal. Good thing I don't listen to him!