on .." The freak show and it's passing thru the Valley of the Shadow of Death " part 20 " ... meanwhile back in Lake Charles..."

( .... Another chapter... enjoy.)

...Death woke early and put on a lite cotton suit of Death.

Looked the same. Felt the same, but wasn't.

" Oh ! ",whooped Death, walking out onto the porch.

" The wind just blows right on thru  doesn't it..."

said Death, looking out over the misty swamp that 

was his cousin Warren's front yard.  It smelled of sulphur,

burning tires and muck.

It was  beautiful Saturday in Lake Charles,

and Death was going antiquing. 

" ...ayyyy, what a beautiful day..." sighed Death, 

walking down the drive passing the van,

" !!! If you'd only come ouuuuut we could go antiquing...!!!

....!!! Old carnival glass !!! . 

!!! Those little blue mustard glass bottle's you like soooo much.!!!

!!! For almost nothhhhhhing !!!!!! ", hollered Death at the van.

" Fine. Suit yourself..." walking down the drive 

to Warren's Dodge, clueless. Jesus was gone. 

and Death 

drove on...

... " I cannot believe there is no real coffee in this cute little town "

... " !!! COME ON MAKE THE LEFT ALREADY DAMN YOU !!! "

... " ...If you time the lights we don't have to dooooo this...."

... " !!!HEY ASSHOLE , DON'T MAKE ME GET OUT OF THIS DODGE..."

... " ....I could not imagine living in this little dump town..."

said Death turning into " Dusty's ", the last shop on his list.

...Death poked and prodded thru boxes and piles.

Shelves filled with gold rimmed and rhythmically cracked plates.

The rainbow distortion of looking thru those

little blue medicine bottles was a mystic view 

to the past that Jesus would have loved...

" Jesus would love this ", thought Death.

Death reached for a green carnival glass cake plate.

He'd seen it as he turned the corner. He was excited.

It glistened like a emerald amongst the ceramic milk pitcher, 

the black iron frying pan and the meat grinder.

He had his bony hand almost to the coveted said plate,

when entered into Death's limited field of vision

( He wore a hood you know...)

the hand of Mrs. Virgil Lampert- Norniella.

" If-( hissssssss ) you touch that beautiful green carnival

glass cake plate...." hissed Death.

" I saw it first Father. " said Mrs. Lampert-Norniella.

" I am not a priest !!!! and I saw that first you wretched woman..."

Shouted Death.

" I'm not intimidated by your type you freak !!!! "

screamed Mrs.Lampert-Norniella.

" ...Oh reeeea-lly...? ", smirked Death questionably...

...Death drove on.

Mrs.Lampert-Norniella was feeling alittle warm.

Death looked over at that green Carnival glass

cake plate beeming in the Louisiana sun.

" Who's for some " Catch the hot lava rock with yer butt " ?

hummm ? Anybody ??? Anybody ???,

Come on there Mrs. Lampert-Norniella

sure you wanna play..." 

said Carl, one of Death's thugs...down in hell.

Be well todo mundo, 

J.Level

And a rare political opinon... ISRAEL STOP !!! YOU ARE MAKING US ASHAMED BEYOND BELIEF OF YOU...

©jpl2008 " On...The freak show and it's passing thru the Valley of the Shadow of Death" pts. 1-20

It's over...thank God

26.12.08

Seattle,Wa

 My faithful reader " Drugged " has inquired as to ...

"... Why are there no rabid " I hate Xmas " posts

this year ? I have counted on you for the 

past two years around this time to share the 

displeasure of this awful season. No drunk Santa's ?

where are you ? Did you not go outside all month ?

Did you not consume ? I am disappointed in you Jess.

I thought you were more ornery and vile than that..."

Well, thanks there "Drugged". 

Actually this was not like the past couple of Xmas's

I am not surrounded by people that cared little for me

or steal all my good work, menos mal.

I left Spain, or got run off  rather, in May you know. 

They are now with but one Amerikan to berate

and torture, better him than me, so I just feel ...good.

The scene was ...nice. Dan and Li and the little S,

they were a sight. R and L were patient and abit drunk when

we got in the Jeep to plow around in the slushy snow...

...and from the southern contingency there was peace, 

fone calls, and monumental presents sent...

Nope this one didn' suck as have the past few. 

Those people are far away now, and I am 

surrounded by peace and some love and patience, 

this cute serbian girl, and all is right with the world,

no let me rephrase that...

all is better not being surrounded by criminals,

liars and that double standard...dig ?

So be well " Drugged ".

Sorry man.

www.Ihatechristmas.com 

might work for you...

be well todo mundo,

J.Level

on .." The freak show and it's passing thru the Valley of the Shadow of Death " part 19 " Stan the bus driver, a miricle, and Death..."

"...The last three rows are for smoking...
...There will be no questions answered by the bus driver...
...Please sit down mamn....
...PLEASE SIT DOWN MAMN!!!!...
...The next sound you hear will be a shot Mamn...."

mummbled Stan.

Jesus awoke some where around Pelzer.
Stan, the bus driver was as tanked up on speed
as any man Jesus had ever seen.
Jesus said... " lighten up Stan..."

...Walking up the isle Jesus looked at all the passengers
strewn about the seats that where not at all built to the human form
a leg bent around here...
both arms wrapped around the seat in front...
Stan was grinding his teeth,
Stan alway's ground his teeth.
He had 34 years behind the wheel of a Graydog bus.
He hated driving the bus.

Stan never slept. 

Thus the emotional hiroshima...

Off the bus there was Stan, leaning aginst

the guard rail, smokin' a Camel.

Jesus said:  "... You look alittle freaked out

I'm Jesus, Jesus of Nazereth, Pennsylvania..."

Stan said: " I hate drivin' that bus. I hate 

all the Mrs. Meyer's of the world. Can you imagian

92 eyes on the back of your head for 8 or 10

hours. Their thought's ripping into your head

" Are we going to stop soon driver...?"

" Are you sure this is the right bus to Cleveland...? "

"...LET MY PEOPLE GO !!!!!! screamed 

that crazy guy.  I'm driving along, singin' a little

Bob Dylan to myself, when this frickin' guy 

wakes up screamin'. Freaks out the whole bus,

and Stan's gotta go deal with him.

Brave. It's not really my thing.

I come from a long line of cowards, 

Country second , maybe third...!!!

that's my family motto....

...You look alot like Jesus, did you know that ? ",

asked Stan lighting another Camel.

It was just then Mrs. Meyers stepped

her large self off the bus.

She turned, causing the gravity of the Earth

to shift a bit and saw Stan speaking with Jesus.

Jesus took this as a sign from Dad,

making his way outta that scene...

Mrs. Meyer said : " BUS DRIVER !!!! 

I want a word with you..."

As the Earth shook with each large 

Mrs.Meyers step, Stan pushed his hat 

back on his head a way's and lit another Camel

snappin' the Zippo closed with a flick of his wrist.

Be well todo mundo,

J.Level

©jpl2008 " on..." The freak show and it's passing thru the Valley of the Shadow of Death" pt.1-18

on..." The freak show and it's passing thru the Valley of the Shadow of Death pt 18 " Stan the bus driver's story...

  Stan the bus driver had been a " loyal employee " 

for thirty years. So, " why the hell do I drive this god forsaken 

freak route, got damn Lake Charles to NY city !!! Damned freaks !! FREAKS !!!! ????"

Stan drove on, after all he, was a professional.

" DRIVER !!!!!!" shouted Mrs. Meyer, from Albany sitting in the fifth row.

" Shouldn't we be stopping anytime soon...? she shrieked. Mrs Meyer did.

Stan winced and said nothing.He'd learned it. " Ignore it Stan, It'll go away..."

" Driver !!! " shouted Mrs. Meyer...

Stan had taken to pointing at the sign mounted beside the fan

" DO NOT TALK TO THE DRIVER " it said.

But she started to squeeze her large self outta the seat...

Stan thought..." No. Don't do it. Sit back down. No, don't keep coming...

No Mrs. Meyer you don't want to do this...STOP please .

The next warning will be a shot, please return to your seat and enjoy the view.

Thank you. Bong- bing-bong...."

Then she was there.

" Driver, Are'nt we supposed to stop soon ? Regulations say..." 

" THAT'S IT !!! ", growled Stan, the bus driver skidding the bus to the edge of the hi way.

Stan turned in his seat towards a shocked, but well, Mrs. Meyer...after all,

Mrs. Meyer was married to Mr. Meyer, whom was a panicked driver.

She had grown used to skidding, sliding and sudden stops. Bracing for the worst

was Mrs. Meyer's forte. Stan, the bus driver reached down into his Samsonite overnight bag

stored behind his seat, and retrieved his Camels and the Zippo.

Slowly he stood up, turned and faced the passangers and said...

" Smoke 'um if you got 'um ", and walked off the bus into the warm 

South Carolina evening..." Freak's", said Stan exhaling...

Lil'Moco's said: " Now there's one of the more stressed out brother's 

we've seen in awhile hummmm ? "

Jesus said: " That poor man, I'm going out to talk to him..."

And Lil' Moco's said : " ...of course you are...",  turning circles around and around

finding the warm spot...

J. Level

©jpl 2008  on..." The freak show and it's passing thru the Valley of the Shadow of Death " pt. 1-18

It's finished...

It's done.

Framed,

and hung over the 

electrical panel

in the new house...

perfect.

Snow ?

totally anti-climactic.

" You call this snow ?" Styl smirks

Volvos slidin'

tow trucks slidin'

a snowball's slidin'

a snow covered dog smilin'

and slidin'

Styl sez " let's see if their

any deeper in Seattle..."

and we rode on...

be well todo mundo,

J.Level

Wake up Styl it snowed...

It snowed Styl...

Wake up.

be well todo mundo,

J.Level

on..." The freak show and it's passing thru the Valley of the Shadow of Death pt 17 " 8 guy's waiting, Nina's and a kid named Myron"

"... I could be dead before I getta drink around here..."

"... HEY !!! Abe !!!! where the hell is that guy...? "

"... I'm gonna have ta get home to the wife soon..."

"... Why don' we go up to Murry's ? "

"... Naw Murry's is a dive at best..."

"... We could go up to the bus station..."

"... What !? Nina's !? No way man.  Last time I drank there I got my wallet stolt..."

"... hell, last time I drank at Nina's I saw some guy that looked like Jesus.

 Had a weird little dog that I swear could talk, so he did..."

"... Had a few there did ya Carl...?"

( everybody laughs )

 They all sat for the next hour telling stories of Nina's

bus station bar and it's freaks. Straggling out,

towards home and the wife to work at the plant or to Nina's

goin' by way of 6th ave as to not be seen, or joined.

It's good to go to Nina's alone

anonymously, maybe with a different name...

" Hi , I'm Myron..." 

Lil' Mocos said to Jesus:

" ...did I hear that guy say his name 

was Myron ?... Nobody names their kid 

Myron anymore... Pass me the sports section

will ya...

                                                    

J.Level

c 2008 spl " on ," freak show and it's passing thru the Valley of the Shadow of Death "

Lunch with Styl666

" You have sauce on your chin..."

" hum... you know Styl, I lived in Lisboa for about 

a blissful year. Sold art in the market at the Rue

De Agusto, and we lived in a big second floor 

studio with 12 foot windows and a view of the 

ferry dock and the other side of the river...

I recall all sorta smoked fish...yep,

I never remember Portuguese barbecue..."

" ...in my house Jess, if someone talked while we

were eating, my brother's would throw them out 

into the snow..."

" I guess I'd be in the snow alot eh?..."

"...Yeah. Pass that sauce... bloody good, no? "

We eat in silence.

Shared coy glances,

and two bottles 

of cheap Chilean wine 

while chattin' up the 

waitress Malie, from Mexico.

Ensanada B.C. , I think.

 

Later we debate why we are here,

and together in this weird 

tasty joint found by fluke...

...then confessed why

we're not back 

where we were...

We agreed 

things happen.

Things change.

Couldn't be any other way,

we'd try not to make the same

mistakes, 

again.

be well todo mundo,

J.Level

look...

va bien todo mundo,

J.Level

weekend at Dennis's

...went out to middle earth 

this weekend past.

Went to start this...

sure we've seen something similar

but that one got lost.

This one will make it up

on a wall down in LA ...

Better, no ?

I think so.

Va bien todo mundo,

J.Level

Tina

" Hay mi Madre, porbre hombre... Hay mi Madre ! "

That woman on the right, in this only foto I took of

that militant and saintly woman...Tina.

 

I hopped out to the car after 21 days, 

they had restored me to life a couple 

of time during those 

first couple a days in 

Hospital central de Asturias.

Had a hole in my stomach.

Had a broken ankle.

A result of my choices,

and I shoulda accepted a few things

a bit sooner, so I should have.

Standing in front of my building

on crutches lookin' up to the 5th floor.

Frankenstein slash

a stitched up

and pretty green 

7" slash...in the

middle of my gut.

" Ouch" I said.

" there's 72 stairs 

to get to the house. How you gonna

climb those stairs Jess ?

fuckin' Everest..." said my friend Cholo.

The old militant lived on the 3 floor of the building 

next door. I knew her from the little meat shop

on Rio San Pedro, we would wait in line and 

give Julian hell. Julian loved animals as a child,

so he became a butcher...

His wife has three of my early bullfighters,

She told me every time I saw her.

" I have three of your paintings..." she'd say.

Tina hollered out the window.

She told me to wait.

Tina and Cholo spoke,

and it was decide that I would recuperate

in her guest room and

before I knew it Tina

had me in her big arms

and was carrying me up the 8

stairs to the elevator...

For the next 4 months I am cared for by 

this saintly militant woman. 

89 years old

never married

no children

and a weird Siamese cat that coughed.

She cooked..

Thursday: Lentils and pork chops

Monday: Garbanzos and a thin filet of beef potatos

Saturday : Chicken guiesado and rice with an egg...

same every week , 

" I could do this blind..." she'd say peelin' potatos...

" No hay GRASA !!!! " she'd also say

stirring the goopy broth...

Good post op ulcer fixin' fare...Yikes.

Months later she would take a cab with 

me to get my cast taken off.

She would help me rehab that ankle,

a brutal and painful affair.

Give me manzanilla tea

and little cakes, while I told her 

about art and the world as I did and saw...

She said I was a hippy idealist,

I said she was a Saint.

We were an odd pair there on 

Rio San Pedro street

in between Manolo's bar " Solera "

and Valintine's resturant.

The hunting shop 

and Julian the butcher ...

There were many of these stories

about the people of that country

that threw this poor, but famous

artist a line durning that decade,

but Tina, Tina's went above and beyond.

Hero type stuff, so it was...

Hero type stuff.

Va bien todo mundo,

J.Level

A new view

upstairs at the new house

we sat and smoked and say how

many times

lookin' at each other...

" hell of a view eh ?"

" we'll never do better ".

big steaks on paper plates

and beer...

" Thanks..."

" De nada..."

Be well todo mundo,

J. Level

Styl666 is a commin'

Cool.

... and late news 

the contingency from hong kong

is being delivered to Seatac

That's Daniel's thing

and out on the iland

another has blown in

from the deep south

So, we've all something 

to be awaitin'

should be a good month.

And as we all have read

I am not a december sorta bloke

but this one is filled with 

a different sorta trustable and saintly

sorta folk....

We are blessed this time around....

Be well todo mundo,

J.Level