All Along the Maricopa Highway – by Charlie Macias

 -When was the last time you had to crawl through the back of your car to get something? It’s tough because there’s a lot of junk in there, right? Who knows what you’ll scrape up against! When you lock in your keys on a dark night you get a desperate feeling. Good thing the trunk was open.

-The emu with yellow eyes just stared at me from its pen on the side of the road.

-The friendly dog was not named David Bowie. Its owner seemed shy. When asked about the weather she said, “Pretty hot!”  Anyways, she slipped and joked that the dog was checking me out.

-At night be careful when you come upon the clearing. Watch out for the ruts under the moonlight.  You don’t want to misstep, fall and dirty that clown outfit of yours. Yes, that rooster crows all the time.

- The coyote was a jackal

The horse a moose

Just thinking aloud

Thinking like Seuss

Rabbits that fly

Condors that screech

Out in the wild

Not Mulberry Street

-Looking for that blue mask. Do you see the blue mask? Where’s that blue mask? Is it emerging from the oaks? Is it coming up the hill? I like your funky hat. I like your patterned coat, Oh, that’s you wearing the blue mask. I kinda like it, too.

Acceptance – by Charlie Macias

 

It happened by chance anyways. Now it had to end. I think it came upon a dream. Now back to normalcy after the unforeseen disruption. Calm and life anew – one can only hope.

Forces came down upon us. Battles were fought and – mostly – won. New challenges came almost every day.

Some of the new consequences from all  the bustle actually brought a strange, renewed beauty -some of the best stuff we hadn’t seen in a while. It became normal, expected.

But it could all be taken away in an instant.

You had to adapt, be quick on your feet. If you didn’t you’d just kind of linger. No rhyme or reason to how, why and when things would happen or change.

“How long will it be taken away for?” “What will replace it?”

Ever wake up from a bad dream, but the bad dream keeps happening?

Looking For A Little Help - by Charlie Macias

You cannot find anyone in this fog
Just when you get some momentum going...
C'mon! Put out your thumb, hitch a ride!
Let's go already!
Throw on that new Bob Dylan and let's figure it out

Pop, pop, pop!!!
Just like 4th of July
She'll turn up spectacularly and dazzle!
Que no?
Claro que si

3-4U2C - by Charles Macias

1.      First of all, the message was late. This kind of thing really pissed her off. So, it was off to the track to work off some steam. A little exercise would bring her back to a calm level.

At the track she came upon a male jogger slogging his way round and round. He was sweaty and smarmy, but he certainly was in good shape.  She tried not to stare at him. The fact that she was wearing her dark sunglasses helped with her subterfuge.

She started walking the outer lanes, just warming up. He passed her by and looked back, “You’re not just gonna walk, are you?” He joked, “C’mon! Pick up the pace!”

She smiled and ran to join him in a jog around the track. She challenged him to a sprint for the last 60 yards. He smiled and they were off!

She won. Maybe he let her win.

“Not bad for a girl wearing sunglasses,” she teased.

“And what’s behind those glasses? Let me see your eyes.”

She laughed, “Oh no. Just take my word for i. They’re violet….just like Liz Taylor!”

2.  She woke up violently. She looked at the clock: 3 AM. She was panting. It was a bad dream: An operating room, a surgeon looking over her. He placed the oxygen mask over nose. She went out. Kind of.

She could hear the surgical team talk. She heard the surgeon, “You’ll feel a little prick in your eyeball. Nothing’s wrong. This is all part of the procedure.”

It felt like he was sticking a fine needle into her eye. Then he pivoted the needle like a joystick jostling the eyeball back and forth. Sometimes soothing water would pour over the eye. Her upper body shook and he told her to try to stay still. She “saw” a kaleidoscope of colors, then darkness, then the most beautiful blue sky with puffy white clouds floating by. More soothing water.

And then, “Ok, all done. Wheel her out!”

3.     Sometimes words just look funny, don’t you think? I mean they’re really just random markings that are assigned certain sounds.

Loo k at “LOOK.”  A partial triangle, two ovals and a straight line with another partial triangle. Write it down,  ogle it. “LOOK” could be two eyeballs just staring back at you. Ha, write down “OGLE” and take a look at that one!

LOOK     LOOT   LUTE   CUTE

At least I’m used to reading these funny looking symbols.

 Slows me down now. Thanks.

Sad Ocean Days – by Charlie Macias

Can I just ride around in my car?! Stay in a bubble and drive around, check out inventive face masks, the homeless almost the only ones on the street, remember the eats out there, smile and wave to kind folks, say hi to the seagulls, check out the Friendship Bell behind locked gates, people walking six feet apart, get up early, get in line for paper products, write the worst poetry ever written  in mankind’s history, stay warm under the covers and dream of brighter days, got some ginger ale in the house.

But the dolphins in the harbor cackle good tidings. The sea lions bark “who cares - just feed me.” The pelicans wonder where all the humans are. That Bridge welcomes fewer ships. Will those feral cats and raccoons at the wharf die off? Still seeing cuties of all kinds walking and biking, wearing their tights, shorts and athletic sneakers.

The Jacaranda Brings on the Texas Boot – by Charlie Macias

She was too caught up in what she was caught up in. She wasn’t paying full attention to the details. And it cost her. She got the Texas Boot, baby!

The end of the summer came around and she really hadn’t taken a break. Work, work, work. Finally, she requested time off in early Septembe.She wanted to visit a spa she’d heard raves about. It would cost her a pretty penny, but she deserved this treat, she thought.

Massage, meditation, total relaxation were the spa’s calling card. A retreat like no other! Come in, forget the world out there and come out cleansed and de-stressed. Marvel at the centerpiece of the spa: a mighty jacaranda tree! Purple flowers/petals creating a canopy of utter beauty! Some say simply viewing the tree and contemplating its wonderfulness could bring a peace like no other. She was looking forward to being in the presence of the wondrous jacaranda!

But the trip to the spa was troublesome. There was a lot of traffic and she got lost when her car navigation system went blank. But some helpful town folk put her back in the right direction and she was happy to see signs on the highway announcing that the spa was very near. Yes, the signs featured the purple –petaled  tree!

Alas, when she drove to the entrance of the spa there was a long line of cars in front of her and the pack of cars was moving slowly. She decided to be bold; she decided she could not wait any longer. She wanted to check in quickly, get to her room and rush to see the amazing purple tree!

She decided to park on the side of the road, grab her luggage and walk to the front gates of the spa. I will NOT be denied! she laughed to herself as she strolled onto the grounds. She was met by friendly spa staff who escorted her to the front desk of the facility.

Moving quickly ahead: She had an amazing experience! The yoga, mindfulness workshops and clean eating menu was just what she needed! The spa more than lived up to its billing! She was one very satisfied (and relaxed) customer.

At the conclusion of her stay she walked back to her car. It appeared different to her. As she walked closer she saw a bright yellow metal yoke of some sort attached to her front wheel on the driver’s side.  There was also what appeared to be a parking ticket planted on her front window planted behind the windshield wiper. She grabbed the ticket and looked it over. “Parked in a No Parking zone.” The penalty fee was astronomical. In addition, the ticket described that she’d have to call a local tow service to remove the yellow yoke locked onto her front tire. There would be no way she could drive her car with that thing attached to the wheel. To have the bright yellow yoke removed would be another high fee. She looked further down the road and noticed a small sign on a metal post. It probably warned that this area was a No Parking zone, she thought. She hadn’t noticed it when she drove in.

As she took another look at her ticket a patrol car drove up and slowly rolled to a stop next to her. The patrol car window eked down and an officer looked at her, “You got the Texas Boot, lady!”

Moonshot – by Charlie Macias

I talked to the moon because I thought it was my friend--

You let me down on two fronts!

What’s up with that?!

I’m gonna give you one more chance

I know you’ll let me know it’s coming

Maybe you’ll shoot down a particularly bright moonbeam

Maybe you’ll give us one of those fantastic Harvest moons

(Pause….sigh…reflection)

Did the moon just wink at me?!!!