Monday, October 12, 2009

Bits N Pieces - A Disjointed Bahamian Novel - D07

(6:59 am Fri Nov 07, 2008)

Well gentle reader, last night it was the No Voltage Blues. Today I wake up to the No Net Blues. Seems like it might be island wide. Actually, I got woken up by the No Net Blues. Out of my bed and the sleep I so needed. A call from work to look into things.

(7:14 am Fri Nov 07, 2008)

(5:11 pm Fri Nov 07, 2008)

And so now we come to the seventh day of the struggle. It is good to have you here with me gentle reader. Someone to say a few words to when the going gets rough...

***

(5:34 pm Fri Nov 07, 2008)

I am stuck, stuck I say! My mind dry, blank, resisting any attempts to get a flow going. I took my son to his first real day of choir today after school and while sitting in the lobby, I made notes for when I would get home. I made notes on Jaro, Notes on Fulcrum. Worked on some lyrics to try and weave in somehow but now that I am here at home, I am just stuck.

And so I write. SO what if I have to throw this awya gentle reader. Each word is still a nano word. Each words still counts. And each word may take me one word closer to breaking up this blockage. One word closer to inspiration. One word closer to an idea. And I have known for a long time that ideas have value. I even used to run ads for a short time a long time ago in the back of, I think it was, Popular Science or one like it with the nice classifieds sections in the back. Look in back issues for IDEASHAVEVALUE. I had ads I tell you. I wonder if anyone else ever ran ads like that so as to confuse you should you find one.

And I really need an idea with some value right about now gentle reader. Some spark that will propel Fulcrum forward. Helping him to move towards his dreams and aspirations.

***

Fulcrum woke up to an empty house and an empty stomach. Why was he so empty lately?

He got up and shuffled along into the kitchen and opened the door to the light box where Sarah kept some food.

Wow, that was cold in there. What kind of fire made things cold? Was this some sort of devil light? Surely not. Surely devil light would be hot and not cold he thought.

He sw some of that tomatoe and cheese pie on a plate with a clear glasslike cover and took it out of the cold box.

Sarah had mentioned heating it something she called a toaster over but he looked around and did not see anything that looked like an oven to him. He decided he would just have to eat it cold and so he ripped off a piece and took a bite. He looked around for something to drink. That looked like a tap there in the corner with a sort of bottle of water on top.

He went along opening and closing cupboards one by one until he found one with drinking glasses in it.

He went over and got himself some water. At least he could figure out how to use the tap he thought.

(5:51 pm Fri Nov 07, 2008)

After eating his fill he wondered back into the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed. Soon, he broke out in a cold sweat and started shaking and hugging himself to try and get a handle of himself. He was not able to get control of his shaking though and after a few minutes of intense effort, a wracking sob escaped him and he collapsed back on the bed and pulled a pillow over his head and wrapped his arms tightly around it, almost trying to smother himself but really just trying to put more pressure on his head himself than was there already.

(5:56 pm Fri Nov 07, 2008)

He fell back asleep.

***

When Jaro showed up at the club in the afternoon, Frank told him that Sarah had been by looking for him.

"She say where she was going Frank? I can call her," said Jaro. "Why don't that girl get a cell phone? This is the naughties already. It's a new century!"

"Don't look at me," said Frank, "I've had one since that time. I would be lost without mine. And you know me, I am mostly afraid of all this new technology. But you have to learn to use at least some of it if you want to function in this new world."

"So?"

"So what?" said Frank.

"So, did she say where she was going to be so I could call her."

"No man, but she did say that she would try and be back by five and that if she wasn't then you should please wait for her."

"I guess I can do that. You have anything around here you could use a hand with? If not, I am just going to jam some if that's alright with you."

"We pretty much have things covered and sewn up now so go ahead and jam if you like. You want someone to jam with?"

"What Frank, you got the itch? You got the urge? Your fingers want to strum some strings today?"

***

(6:13 pm Fri Nov 07, 2008)

Sarah was almost asleep. Well, not quite asleep. Just relaxed. Deeply relaxed. She was face down on a massage table.

(6:59 pm Fri Nov 07, 2008)

Had been for fifteen minutes now. Was well onthe way to a clear mind as well as her relaxed muscles. Soon would come the heated stones and then on to a sauna. Sarah didn't often treat herself to such indulgence, but from time to time she needed to recharge and get her focus back and she spent a few hours or, very rarely, a day just slowing down and finding her core again.

Today, she probably needed a full day but there wasn't time. She laughed gently to herself. Slowing down in a rush, that was rich.

Slow down girl, you need a break
Slow down girl, you need a break
You need some time, to clear your mind
So slow down girl, and you'll be fine

Slow down girl, you move too fast
Slow down girl, you move too fast
Just take your time,take off your mask
So slow down girl, relax at last

Slow down girl, and watch the glass
Slow down girl, and watch the glass
Just take some time, and drink some wine
So slow down girl, and you'll be fine

She felt a warm glow come over her whole body and she fell asleep on the table. The masseuse noticed her slow breathing and left her alone in the room.

(7:19 pm Fri Nov 07, 2008)

(9:11 pm Fri Nov 07, 2008)

***

June looked down at the blood stained sand. Bodies lay where they had fallen during the terrible fight. That handsome young pirate who had come to her porch in the night had staggered towards the water before falling from loss of blood. There was a small hint of movement in his chest, perhaps he was not dead yet.

The men who had attacked her lay here and there and she looked with as much calm as she could manage at their dead bodies on the sand, carefully avoiding looking down near her feet for as long as she could. She looked out to see where the moon shone on the water.

Finally though, she had to look down. And then came the sob and the sharp intake of breath. Her brother lay pale in the blood stained sand. She stood a moment in a stunned stillness and then started to shake. Then came the scream. The screem that carried down the beach all the way to the pirate camp. The scream that refused to end. Then her legs were moving of their own accord, carrying her back down the path to the settlement and the doctor who was the only hope for her brother to live. All the way, the scream refused to die. Hot, salty tears streaming from her green eyes down her cheeks.

***

Sarah screamed in her sleep and woke up cramped and sweating. The masseuse came in with a concerned look on her face. "Are you OK Mrs. Albury? What happened?"

Sarah looked around her in a bit of a daze. That dream had seemed so real. She still felt the panic inside her and her body refused to stop shaking.

(9:27 pm Fri Nov 07, 2008)

She sat up and pulled her towel tightly around her and then got shakily to her feet.

"Here let me help you Mrs. Albury." said the masseuse, coming over to lend an arm.

Sarah waved her off, "No thanks but would you go and get me a smoothie while I take a quick rinse in the shower?"

"I will call and have someone bring you a drink. I don't think you should go alone to the showers when you are shaky like that. Those tiles are hard and they can get slippery when they get wet."

***

Sarah got out of the car, "Thanks for the lift, you really didn't have to."

"Oh I don't mind," said the maseusse, "it is not far out of my way and I didn't think you should be driving the way you are still shaky like that. Just let someone drop you back for your car when you get feeling better."

There was music jamming from above ans she turned towards the steps and made her way slowly upstairs, holding onto the railing all the way to steady herself.

***

Jaro saw Sarah walk through the door by the bar and his fingers stopped and hung in the air over the keyboard, still shaped like the chords he was about to play, "Sarah! is everything OK? Did something happen to Fuller?"

Sarah sat on a stool at the bar, "Give me a rum and coke please. "Hey Jaro, thanks for being here. That sounded nice? Something you working on or were you two just messing around?"

Jaro's face fell.

Sarah saw it and quickly continued, "No, no. Fuller is fine. Or at least, he was when I left him. We can call him and see if you like."

"Well, what's wrong with you then? You seen a ghost?"

"I may have," she mused, a strange, far away look in her green eyes. "At lesat in my dreams. It seemed so real though."

(9:45 pm Fri Nov 07, 2008)

***

Fulcrum woke up with a song in his head.

I want to tell you
About love and heartaches
I want to tell you
About a new plan

But if you leave me
I'll never recover
Said if you leave me
I just wont understand

So baby
Lend me your ears
Yes baby
Give me your hand

I want to take you
Out over the waters
I want to lay you
Down on that pink sand

He was not sure where it had come from or what exactly it meant but he quite liked it and kept humming it or singing it under his breath over and over.

***

(9:55 pm Fri Nov 07, 2008)

Sarah looked at Jaro's black face so filled with concern and smiled a wan smile to try and ease his obvoius concern. "I think 'll be alright. It is Fuller that I am worried about. He just doesn't seem to be himself since the gig. He doesn't seem to know himself or his world and he is always getting woozy and looking like he is about to fall over in the slight breeze."

"And he is always hungry and tired, he hasn't stopped eating and sleeping since I got him home," she continued, her voice a little horse.

"Should you take him to see a doctor? Are you coming down with something too? Your voice seems a bit off."

"And that is the other thing, he wouldn't let me take him to the hospital and he won't even let me call a doctor to the house. It almost seems like he is afraid of doctors. I never noticed that in him before."

***

Goodnight gentle reader, I doubt I will be chatting with you again tonight. I want to take it easy for the rest of the night until I go to sleep. Until tomorrow then.

(10:03 pm Fri Nov 07, 2008)

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