Tuesday, October 03, 2006

I

[I would start writing, but the man sitting next to me here at the communal table reserved for laptops at Hot Java is processing rather loudly over the phone. In addition he punctuates his statements by hitting the table with his hand or tapping out a drum roll with his coffee cup. I can't place his accent, some kind of latin american, a lot of slurring, lilting phrases like that hackneyed caricature of an exasperated maitre'd, he's probably gay and foreign. He looks European, ruddy skin, hairy forearms, a ludicrous cow lick perched at the back of his crown like Dennis the Menace, wire frame glasses. I remember the Frenchman once telling me he could spot europeans by the way they wore tight really short shorts wedged up their buttcracks. The latin american's friend on the phone has had some kind of falling out with a girlfriend. He's urging his his friend to write her a letter. He's been talking on the phone for the last 15 minutes, tinkering on his laptop the whole time, responding every now and again, mostly absent-mindedly. "The only thing, Ray, is we can never underplay other people's feelings..." Another friend has just showed up at the cafe, a cute petite latina woman, with an equally cute short haircut—she doesn't look European—he waves at her and then rolls his eyes, motioning his hand in tight exuberant circles, the transnational gesture of blah, blah, blah, but what can he do with a friend in emotional crisis. So I would be writing now, but am too distracted. The Latin-Ameriican has finally ended his phone conversation and is now chatting with his girlfriend about some potential trick—yes, he's definitely gay and a bottom to boot. I would be writing now—not that I have a clear idea of a novel, a few vague ideas I've been tossing around in my head the last month or so. What else do I have going for me now that I've watched my cache of last season's tv shows. I need something more to show for all this unstructured, unbillable time. I need to remember to bring earphones]

1 Comments:

Blogger Ji Sung said...

even your preludes are so fun to read. does writing come to you as easily as it appears to? i am so thrilled i get to be your friend! love, always!!! -ji sung

5:02 PM  

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