Robert C. Day's Blog, page 36

Paracombodulation

“Take time to modulate the frequency of the passive resistor residing in the left hand quadrant as mentioned in the aforementioned video. Take careful notethat the participle denominatordiscussed in…”

“What the?… pause, pause!” Johnny stabbed the screen,a blunt forefinger. Over and again. “Pause, you moth… ah, okay.”

Thevideo stopped, went again, jittered a little, thenfroze – Molly with her mouth open.

“Okay. Participle. What the heck’s a …” New tab, typing pee, ay, argh, tee, igh, pee, ell,...

Get Lost in a Book

Walking by a passing paragraph my attention was caught by the particularly goodsyntax of the construction of the world, but I soon forgot that and immersed myself in the fluid depiction of sky flowing past the speeding train and there I was, in the carriage myselfas I walked by the side of the river in the sunshine that would leave me red later but didn’t set off any alarms at the time because it was a cloudy day outside the train window and yet when the conductor called for tickets, I confes...

I’m Sorry

Yes, I admit I did it.
Just not as cruelly as they say.
I was blinded by a misplaced affection
And my eyemoved from where it should have been.

Butthere’s no but.
I was wrong.
I am sorry.
Really
I am.

Their Tree

Estherwas about to climbdown fromthe tree when she realised that she was going to be not alone. A crackling of leaves warnedher– nothing she could see. It was 4am on a balmy autumn night and deeply dark for miles around.The only light came from the distantcity – an orange blotchon the horizon. There would have been stars and maybe a moon, but clouds had conquered them for now.

Of course she knew who was coming – there was only one possibility. Her granddaughter Katelived in the big house at t...

Broken Heart in the Stars

No. Please, no. There’s too much love in him for you to take him away. I love him so. I’ve loved him from since before I knew myself. He was there from the start of all that is good. He’s been my companion, my comfort, my ease. He sang me to sleep when no-one came. When I called, in the dark, he touched my face and told me that everything would be alright, that he would take care of me, that he would always be there for me. How could you think of taking him? My heart would break into tiny pi...

You

Wherever you go

I’ll go with you too.

Whenever I leave

I’ll come back to you.

(these words were repeating in my mind when I woke up this morning)

Sleep’s Warm Embrace

“There are lesbians in the architecture.” Trishawhispered to the checkout girl, leaning acrossherfruit and veg to do so.

To her creditthe girl, her badge declaringher to be Narcissa, only blushed slightly, then was lightning quick with her reply. “Not in here there ain’t. Management put a notice up last week forbidding it! Do you want a bag?”

“Is that true?” said Trisha, raising an eyebrow. “No thanks, I got this,” and she pulled her knapsack off.

“Yeah, I guess they needed more space for the...

How I Became a Vegetarian – Twice

I once gave up meat twice.

The first time was because of a girl. Typical – right? You see, she was a strict vegetarian and so I thoughtthatI wouldbe in-with-a-chance (so to speak) if Ibecame one too.

This is how my first day as a born-again-vegetarian went:

Caught bus to work Wentto sandwich shop Purchased breakfast sandwich Got half way through said meal Realised that I was eating a bacon, egg and tomato sandwich Reasoned to myself that I could start the diet tomorrow instead Finished eatin...

Mother Teresa’s Tattoo

I know you won’t believe me, and there ain’t nobody but that’ll back me up. Old Teri’s long since left us, and I’ll won’t be long afore I foller on. So I’s got to tell you now, or it’s going to be never.

She was only wee – you gotta remember that, but her will was like iron railings. And so it warn’t a whim, but more like a bolden plan that it came about. She hadn’t even been drinking – she warn’t into that kinda thing, not even then, but she said as she wanted summat steady and true so as to...

Problematic Peyote

The church clock struck eight of thevillagers as they lined up to shake hands with the vicar after aworthy, but dullservice. Crows started from the trees in alarm. Bodies lay strewn across the doorstep of the church anda line ofants began to form as they marched across the ruins of the fallen clock-tower, towards an early lunch. There was a serene, momentary quiet after the echoes ceased. A figure glided past the church wall, before the silence was cracked by a baby screaming as it crawled je...