[Alex] Hi. Is that the Office?

[Office] Yes. Who’s this?

[Alex] Its Alex.

Pause

[Office] Who?

[Alex] Its Alex. I work there.

[Office] Is this some sort of joke? Alex doesn’t work here any more. He..

[Alex] Its me, Alex. Whats the matter with you?

[Office] You must have the wrong number. We don’t have an Alex working here any more. He… ..he died.

[Alex] What do you mean he died?

[Office] He died. He’s dead. His boss stabbed him. Yesterday. It was very messy. I was washing the filing cabinet when you called.

[Alex] But I’m Alex. I’m not dead. I was just calling in sick.

[Office] Corpse on line one, call security.

Phone goes dead.

On the Sky People

At night, when you are in your bed staring up at the ceiling, look carefully: do you see?

Against the corners of the ceiling, the sky people.

They live for this moment and you might notice that they start to fly down to you, their wings flapping gently against your cheek to help you rest and sleep. Then, when you are out, they start their playing, dancing and singing, running up and down with joy.

They sometimes come right down and walk across your face as they do this. You wouldn’t know it, of course, but the images from their playtime frolics are what make you dream.

The installation of my new contact lenses creates a difficulty: I can no longer push my glasses up my nose. Its with great restraint that I have avoided gouging my eyes out by way of nervous distraction.

Alcohol, by Veitch

I like whisky
and absinthe
not in the same glass
although they could be
togther
for a monster sesh

Beer is good, too
Its your friend
makes you strong
and helps remove the
stigma
from the world

I know people who
don’t drink
don’t see the point
(me, of such silliness)
after all
why waste a good receptor

I guess it comes down to
perception
and the desire to slow it down
slow down thought and stop aging
lose the weaker brain cells and the rest get
stronger

I think its like bisen
although thats another story

Seven day wonder

I put my soul on eBay
auctioned from a pound
no reserve
new, unused

There was some interest
picked up
by the papers
and a man in a dark coat came

asked me

whether I’d like a cash offer
and sell straight away

I decided it wouldn’t
be fair to
other bidders
or even a good idea
got to protect my ratings
after all
where we be without ratings
so I decline the dark coated one

In the end it didn’t sell
no buyers
probably a good thing
It might come in handy one day
and
in the mean time
I can leave it at home
so that it doesn’t get damaged
in the rain.

Amended 17 Mar 2004

Number 23

Do you see the shape in the
mirror
I do

It blinks
tries to touch but the
glass
is a shield

In dreams the shield is
broken, smashed
and I fall through to where
it lives
and just as we meet
I wake
and look around me
but there’s nothing there

Daytime is best
it can’t do anything in the day
just stares back
dead eyes
pretending to be my reflection