We sit and talk about nonsense and the
Battle of Britain again, because it's easier
than talking about the things we feel.

"I think my Mom must have
smoked when she was pregnant.
She always says she didn't, but
I don't believe her. I got fucked,"
John says as he lights another Marlboro.

I say, "Imagine if the Bushmen
had conquered most of the ancient
world, then maybe scientific terms
like 'aorta' would be 'click-click-cluck.'"

Outside we hear more shouts and it's not
clear if they're benign or menacing, the
past few days it's been a bit hard to tell.
I kind of wish I had someone to call back
home, but they'd either get too worried or
ask stupid questions, so it's better this way.

"Did you kill anyone?"

"Did you see anyone get shot?"

"Are you packing heat?"

Nick yawns and starts talking about how
dolphins have been known to drown porpoises,
so they're not as cuddly as people think.
Leigh thinks they taste good in canned tuna
and that it tastes like shit since they've gone
"dolphin free" - so now he only buys Japanese.

"Thank God England bailed you out
there, mate," says Leigh. "As usual...
you guys have all the gear and no idear."

"Right, just like at Dunkirk. What would
we have done without you?" I reply.

We still can't tell if the shouts have
anything to do with us, but no one seems
to care anymore - we'll know soon enough.

-- Steve McKennon
3/29/04