Thursday, July 27, 2006

Mind your unfinished business

18/07/06

Mind Your Unfinished Business.

Clang! In the impenetrable dark of a South African winter night it's awfully unnerving to hear a grand piano suddenly begin playing. Yet there it was, way beyond midnight, keys crashing together in an eerie crescendo. I sat up straight and swivelled my head in disbelieving fright.

Clang!

There it was again, a strangely discordant harmony of ebony and ivory trailing towards my room. As far as I know none of my neighbours own a piano and if indeed any aspirant musicians decided to practise I highly doubt it would be at one in the morning. My mind racing, without warning, a cloak of darkness swept through my room and a dog howled outside.

I was terrified. My mouth housed my heart for a while.

Now I was really creeped out, duvet crawling closer all around me. Some people dismiss the supernatural as over-imaginative garbage, fair enough, each to his/her own. But I HAVE met a ghost before. It visited me in a public bathroom stall, slamming doors and flushing toilets, with me running out, tail between my legs, and still very much in need of a pee. My brother insists our neighbour's house is haunted telling me of taps turned on late at night, usually when our single neighbour is away. I laughed his suggestions off, but this time I wasn't smiling. Paranormal activities? In my room?

Which way is the toilet?

I'm not sure what a ghost would be doing in my house, they generally have unfinished business to take care of, and in a capitalist society where business is oh so very important I suspect it was a matter of the utmost urgency. I'd be happy if he didn't visit again though!

[D]

Positively Putrid. The Flags Are Sailing West.

14/07/06

Positively Putrid. The Flags are sailing West.

Alright. I'll be the first to admit it, most of my life I've been a negative thinking sort of person. Not in a pessimistic manner but more of an existentialist, it doesn't really count does it, so what the hell, kinda way. I guess I have a right to. My life's been littered with mishaps and shit. Copious quantities of it.

You try piss blood.

But occasionally off run a few electrons and my mindset shifts to a more positive, the sky's blue but I'm not outlook.

What would life be without vicissitudes?

So on the thirteenth of July 2006 (maybe I picked the wrong date) my heart smiled for a change and affirmations aplenty were bustling for room within my conscious. I was going to pass my drivers license, her and I would someday be together and things were looking okay, if not good for a change. A nervous sleep lay me to rest that night, albeit one of a positive proleptic.
Flash to 14 July 2006, 14h00 C.A.T.
My house had been broken into, I dismally failed my drivers license and Miss Right is probably out suntanning in Mongolia while I'm here dying.

Wham!

Positive thinking backfires, with a vengeance. So much for that. Guess it doesn't really work when you're five feet deep. Someone pass the shovel already. I'll be at the harbour waiting, let me know if my ship comes.

[D]