Monday, Sept. 24, 2007 - 7:41 p.m.
Madmans' Football
********************
I was trying to coax Jinky
to come on and wrap up at the beach
streetlights were on
Fullish moon rising
cars were driving with headlights on
when a man
and his young son
passed by
When they saw Jinky dancing around
they immediately
started fawning over him
with encouraging words
a prize winning racehorse
would just write home about
then he followed them
back down the iron steps
back to the beach
to get any more of these
superior good vibes
Several minutes later
when they came back up
Jinky came back up
and as I was trying to coax him back
so we could leave
for the second time
he spotted _another dad and son combo
playing a clumsy game of catch
on the meadow above the beach
as a million crickets sang
I just let him run between them
and jump at the stray balls
the son always flubbed
I looked on from a respectful distance
same as I do for the frisbee community
when they wrapped up their ball game
in the encroaching darkness
Jinky wrapped up his interference
and the three of them
walked towards me as i sat
on a pic nic table
" Is that your cat? "
quizzed the Dad person
"yeah hes mine" I replied
" You know I have seen you here before..
your deal is to let that cat run free.."
he paused for effect..
" I live across the street ,
and I have terrible allergies.. "
he gestured across his face
as if he was pulling a bat off his throat
" I swell all up....TERRIBLE"
he pauses again-
fullish moon
eerily illuminating
his weredad countinance
i am surprised a complete stranger would mime their medical problems to me in the park
but, hey I walk my miniature lion in a public park...
" if your cat comes on my property.."
he points across the street
at an elaborate
multimillion dollar mansion
" I will call the police"
".. they would arrive here in about ...20 minutes..."
I reminded him.
Everybody here knows for a fact
There _is no police station in our little town
the police he is refering to
would have to drive in from the city
and thats about 20 minutes one way
that is...if the bridge is down
lonmer if the bridge is up
" I will call the POLICE.." he hissed
" and they will arrive here in 20 minutes"
i calmly reminded him
just then his young son joined us
swinging his baseball glove
sensed tension sparking from his Dad
as a joyful Jinky swam around my ankles
the boy asked " whats going on?"
" Come on let's go home " hissed the Dad person
" whats up Dad? " enquired the boy
" MOVE IT" hissed the Dad
and they shuffled away towards home
across the street
muttering between them
but when they were
dramatically positioned
directly underneath the streetlight
like Humphrey Bogart
and an unspecified
dwarf baseball player
the Dad turned and called out to me
" I WILL call the _POLICE !!"
I used my best Bugs bunny voice
and said overdone sweetly
" their number is 911-
......easy to remember "
Jinky, ever easily distracted
suddenly runs over to follow them
but the Dad doesn't see him
and i hope he doesn't either
because i truly believe Dad
would have beat the shit out of me
or kicked Jinky
right then and there
Me- for sickin' my attack cat onto him
Jinky-for settting off his stress triggered allergies
and I pray that God
stops Jinky in time
and provides a bug
for the scarlet avenger
to become interested in
before he catches up to the
sizzling mad Dad person
and a bug did appear
and Jinky did wander off to catch it
just inches behind the Dads heels
as he turned to march up his own driveway
I took my cue and ran up
and snatched Jinky
and ran him back
to the safety of the park
like a touchdown for mental health'
Jinky didn't mind being the football
for that point winning manouver
i don't imagine
he would have liked
to be kicked back over here
as field goal from
the other side of the street
even if it is
the last game of the season
