...on " The Freakshow, and it's passing thru the Valley of the showdow of death....part 1," The first night in town..."

The gig had been booked for months. Death smiled a rare smile.
" Home..." thought Death.

...6 days in a 1960 Volkswagen camper.
Death shared her
with Jesus,
Dave,
Jon Kline,
Venus " Who Caused all this really, "
and Domingo, the voice of reason.

A minor prophet. A magic person

and dear friend of Jesus...
They traveled that rural route

many a time.
Death drove. He trusted nobody
with " My Baby ," he called her," My Baby ," lovingly.
Thus Death wrote the tune...
" First we going to "The Thing", way out there on hyway 10.
...Then to the Dinosaur on hyway 15 ta ol' San Diego....
Then WE ARE stopping at Stucky's for nut logs....."
The gang sighed collectively.
".... ahhhhh, the road to The Valley of the Shadow of Death
is gonna be a long one, my friends, I suggest we practice
the fine art of saying " thank you " instead of " no ,"

said Domingo,
always the calm
before the storm...

Paralyzed at a Stucky's, somewhere in Banning, Death returns.
..." Look !!!!!!! Shells with spring google eyes...!!!! Way out here in the desert...
Amazing to think this all.....", spreading his boney arms to take in "all "
"...Used to be an ocean....!" sceeeched Death, joyfully.

They were somewhere between Banning and Barstow,
Hell, in it's purest form...
"...Motherfuckin' hot..." said Venus "who caused all of this really ."
" Hey Dave, pass me that big green sweater, will ya ?.
It's a little chilly, no ? ..." said Death,
to nobody in particular....
...and it was the dog, Neng who became aware of the noise as the
miles passed, but said nothing. That THUNK Thunk THUNK sound,
he'd heard it before.
" ...Sucked a valve...so we did.
Hope I got my fone...." he thought.

"... Not my job to be more intelligent
than my owner.
Aint' sayin' nothin', so I'm not. " Said Neng.
Breaking the silence, they talked quietly...
Jesus agreed, but Dave an
Venus " who caused of all this really... "
and John Kline
were divided. As usual.

Nothing was said.
And all slept, except Domingo...
who read Cervantes,
between the the passing
hiway lites.
It would be a long night
driving thru the deserts of California and Arizona...

Domingo, comfortable anywhere there were
friends and dogs
pulled his hat down over
his eyes
looking thru the slit of failing southwest lite
reflecting off the long rectangular mirror
of the narrow closet door that banged open now
and then
until he closed his eyes
and dreamed.....
...and Death drove on...



Be well todo mundo
J.Level
©spl2007 " The Freakshow and it's passing thru the Valley of The Shadow of Death " Chapters 1-52
foto: Fresno city hall

on..." The Freakshow, and it's passing thru The Valley of the Shadow of Death... Part 4 " Dawn's Bayu cafe and Warren, Deaths second cousin..."

" You be a wantin' ham wit dat der sweetcakes ? "
Doris , the waitress, squeaked to Jesus, whom had the " face of horror "
as it would be told years later by a smirking Death,
" You should have seen the look on his angelic Jewish face..
You be a wantin' ham wit dat der sweet cakes ???!!! Ha !!! "
Jesus would cring, and smile nervously. Angelically, but nervously...

The freak show stops on that side of the Louisiana / Texas border
" Laaaaaaaak Charrrrrrrrrles, The Valley of the Shadow of Death "
a beaming Death announced... Swingin the van into Dawn's Bayou cafe....

Death, swooning with memories, orders fat pancakes
with grits and bacon, ham, biscuit's, orange juice and coffee...
" ...and you'd be bringin' me those " drippin's there too, Hon-ey..."
squeaked Death to Doris, whom was feeling a little chill,
pulled her sweater over her ample southern shoulder...
" Ahhh, OK...??? " she squeeked , a look of awe and worry crosses
the chubby cheeks of Doris, a devout catholic.

Domingo, Dave , John Kline and Venus " whom caused all this really "
all too ordered pork based products, and eggs, wheat toast and
" ...with blackberry jam..AND HEY THERE DORIS ! ..." growled Venus
" Whom caused all this really"
" ..and not that shit without the seeds... (mean stare) I love the seedy stuff "
Venus " whom caused all this really " giggled...

Jesus looked out the window at the scummy bayou reflecting
rainbows of sheeny oily muck and wondered...
" you be a wantin' ham wit dat..."... God ."

...The dog streched, scratched his butt
and climbed into the passenger seat. He
looked out the window at Jesus, scanning
the merky goo of a national treasure...and too wondering
"..Huh, whats next ?..."

" So..." chomped Death, " whos up for alittle tragic Death Family history -chomp- hummmm ? "
" Oh -chomp- mannnn, no. Man why are you always -chomp - so heavy mannnnn ", chompt Dave
"....here we go..." chomped John Kline
" Lay it on us motherfucker !!! -chomp - gory stuff ? er what ? Bet-ter be
pretty fu-ckin' -chomp - gory to impress me brother -chomp -
pass the salt will ya Dave - chomp_ that's a luv..." chomped Venus " whom caused all this really ".
...and Domingo, the voice of reason...,
" ...My fine brother Death, we are all with you in your pain...
Lay it on us brother... I never say no, I say thank you... Everybody !!!
" You really - chomp - suffer some " special defects ", Domingo, my dear old friend..."

They eat and Death told stories of his childhood...
"...and all of a sudden Little Timmy got so mad, I had to turn him into
a lawn dwarf... oh we laughed and laughed...Uh, no.... I laughed...
Little Timmy was, well, a lawn dwarf after all , and their made of concrete you know,
and don't REALLY laugh.... er- ah, well, you know what I'm gettin' at...So..."

This went on until Warren, the owner of "Dawns Bayu cafe " came out with
a bat, and asking nicely enough, the Freak show pays the bill
" Huh, 22.50, for 6 , not bad, eh Death ? " said Jesus.
" Your name is Death ?...." asked Warren of Death.
"... Death, from The Camaron Parish Death's...? Well I'll be got damnt !!!!!
I'm Warren, your second cousin on your mothers side!!! ! Well I'll be Got damnt!!!
Dawn !! DAWNNNNNN!! come a runnin' !!!! It's Death. Oh wow!!!
My cousin Death's here all the way from Californi !!! Well I be got damnt !!!!..."
screeched Warren...
" Who the fuck is this abnormal dick head...Your cousin..? Christ ! oh, sorry Jesus..."
said Venus " whom caused all this really ".

Plans were made to go to the house with Warren and Dawn.
Death was giddy with excitement...
" My cousin Warren...wow! " wowed Death.
Jesus sighed, he was remembering the last time they saw
Warren...apparently Death had forgotten....
" ..The Freak show continues !!!!!!! " announced Death,
puttin' the van into first
and lettin out the clutch....

to be continued.....


be well todo mundo...
Marco, J.P.L.and J.G.L thanks for the words..
no, I'm fine. No, really...

J.Level
Foto: B.L
"The Freak show and it's passing thru the Valley of the Shadow of Death"
©spl2007

..." on beer, white clothes and girls from california..."

11.07.07
uvieu,espana
the freakshow continues.... It's another fiesta in this weird and beautiful land ...San Fermin.
It's in Pamplona, and it's about beer and much wine. White clothes and girls from California following the Hemmingway path. It's about running shoes and red scarves... ambulances and cops all over the palce. Music of Navarra, food, more beer and that ever present thought... ", next year, I'm gonna find a gallery to rent in Pamplona and sell some paintings....". San Fermin.

We watch from bars and the couches. Blurry eyed and gettin ready for work, it's 8:00 am and the tv blazes with searing white and rolled newspapers... as that bell rings on and on and for about 2 minutes we are all "oooooooooo" and "aaaaaaaaaa"
Later on the tv news we will be shown time after time, time after time on all the channels the white clothed California girls drinkin' wine and beers, with their white Gucci running shoes....sitting in cafes, ooooooo-ing and aaaaaaaaaa-ing..".Waiter!!!!!!! more beer and some of those little sausages ? Thanks, your a dear Paco.....ooooooooooooooo"

San Fermine.
Oh, and there bulls. did I say that before?

be well todo mundo...

Be well S.D.Fried

J.Level