I've decided to write about what I'm afraid of. The only thing I'm afraid of in the entire world. The one thing that strikes me to my core and paralyzes me with excruciating fright. That thing which I am afraid of is having to talk to boring people that I have the possiblity of interacting with on a regular basis. I'd rather put fish hooks in my face. Currently, the co-workers I sit near are a amiable bunch of dead-end personalities. I listen to their conversations and phone talk, and I develop images and opinions about them even though I don't even know what they all look like. I'm like a shadow with ears. Only one interesting thing has happened to any of the people that sit near me at work. The guy across from me, who I can recognize and with whom I have pretended to be more interested in fantasy football than I really am (I think his name is Chris), recently seperated his shoulder. He's a big lug who joins in during the common office banter which consists of looking forward to drinking, both weekdays and weekends, and bellyaching about wives.

So, this big dude is riding his bike pretending to be attempting to get into shape, when reallly it was a struggle to adjust his helmet correctly to fit around his giant square head. And, while trying to make a turn on a busy city street, he hits a manhole cover wavers, panicks, recovers slighty then hits a giant pothole. That sends him airborne over his handlebars like a judo throw. Next thing, he's hitting the pavement with his medium pizza-sized shoulder taking nearly the entire brunt of the impact. I never got any details on if he picked himself up and went to the hospital, or needed assistance from strangers, or tried to tough it out and rode his mangled-ass bike home and drank the pain away.

And, that's about it.

Now, he has to wear a sling on his right arm which makes him practically helpless because he's right-handed. And, he finds it difficult to brush his teeth. I never brought up the fact that I broke my wrist senior year of high school in a mosh pit incident, drove myself home drunk, dealt with the discomfort for a month before going to the doctor then taught myself to write with my left hand well enough that I wrote poetry and scored a 4 on the AP English exam without any extra time. Then, the day after the cast that had been on my right arm from my wrist to my shoulder was replaced with one that stretched from only my wrist to my elbow, I began cleaning out the basement of the 1930s gas station that we owned next to my house [having an old gas station was awesome] to create a psuedo-apartment for myself. Said apartment eventually having electricity, cable TV, carpet, a couch, a bar across the door like a drawbridge, and an old toilet hole to pee down.

Yesterday, there was a new development when "Chris," feeling that his body's ability to heal itself was greater than it really is, decided to build a nice relaxing fire and picked up a piece of wood that was too heavy. Needless to say, he's right back where he started, maybe worse.

What a buffoon.

The Anniversary

Quick shoutout to Dr. Answorth Allen, MD. Dr. Allen is currently the Medical Director for the National Basketball Player’s Association as well Head Team Physician for the New York Mets. He is also the medical director for St. John’s University and orthopedic consultant to the West Indies Cricket Board. And, despite his busy schedule, he took the time to cut me open and fix my right ACL last August. Thank you Dr. Allen. Also, much respect to Dr. Freddie Fu, MD, the man who fixed my left ACL when I was 14 and the mentor of one Dr. Answorth Allen, MD.

Orthopedic Surgery Rules!!!

The Beat Down

Party at the house for my 25th
Out on the town
Cab home w/ the G-friend and the Count
She be puking round Columbia
Kicked out the cab
Walk home passed a school and a park
Right around the end of the block met up with 6-8 punks
They yelled then started punching
I put myself between them and the G-friend
Got punched in the nose, mouth, and both ears
Didn't fight back
No reason to fight
Got hit with a board in the ribs and thigh
Only lasted about 10 seconds
Ended up with a big ass bruise on my thigh, little ones on my ribs
Swollen face/head and a bloody mouth
Didn't file a police report

Just so you know, HD Plasma Grills are on the way. I invented them. They're powered by tiny gyroscopes that are set in motion when you break yo neck. Or, if you're this kid, when you skip around your tennis court.

Here's a close-up:

Cold Turkey: Stopping something habitual all at once and never doing it again.

Hot Turkey: Starting something out of the blue and doing it all the time, forever.

Turkey Jerky, Turkey Bacon, Turkey Burgers: Not beef, not pork, not beef again. If you eat this stuff, even vegetarians think you're a puss.

When I am old and about to die, I want to be launched into space. I want to be put in a minimal spacesuit and jettisoned out a space door. But, I don't want to end up in orbit. I want to float away and look around. I want to see the earth from far above and see all the stars without an atmosphere in the way.

The trickiest part will be calculating the amount of oxygen to take with me so I die of old age instead of suffocating to death. My best guess is three days. I'll probably have to verify that with a doctor though. They'll run some tests and stuff like that, but I've never fully trusted when doctors give people a certain length of time to live. People always seem to fight it out a little longer. And, since I'll be doing something really cool, I can see myself trying really hard not to die too soon. So, I'll add a couple days to whatever the doctors say and bring plenty of water and astronaut ice cream, too.

The last days of my life will be spent thinking about my life and the people I love. That's what I'd be doing in a hospital bed anyway, but I'd prefer to do it in space.

Proof that I'll do anything for my g-friend, or the funniest thing that's happened to me in the last six months:

I recently spent a Saturday afternoon watching Dire Straits' 1985 performance at Live Aid on DVD while her boss explained the genesis of the song "Money for Nothing" and then slowly said each verse after Mark Knopfler finished singing it.

Mark Knopfler: "That ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Money for nothin’ and chicks for free"

Boss Man: "That ain’t workin'...that’s the way you do it...
Money for nothin’ and chicks for free"

Mark Knopfler: "Now that ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Lemme tell ya them guys ain’t dumb"

Boss Man: "Now that ain’t workin’...that’s the way you do it...
Lemme tell ya them guys ain’t dumb"

Mark Knopfler: "Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb"

Boss Man: "Maybe get a blister on your little finger...
Maybe get a blister on your thumb"

Mark Knopfler: "We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these colour tv’s"

Boss Man: "We gotta install microwave ovens...
Custom kitchen deliveries...
We gotta move these refrigerators...
We gotta move these colour tv’s"


As an added bonus, I got to see the replica platinum records given to the Boss Man by Quiet Riot for their album "Metal Health." And, if I'm lucky I'll get to play guitar with this dude who played drums for them, Scorpions, Black Sabbath, and Blue Oyster Cult the next time he throws a barbeque.

I remember when I was like eight watching a Wonderful World of Disney movie about a family that brings refugees from a third world country (not sure which continent) into their home and tries to give them a better life. All I can remember about the outcome is that at some point one of the kids can't take living in "civilization" anymore, so he/she digs a hole out in the yard and starts taking a pee/crap and crying a lot. Then, one of the parental figures comes out and there is a bunch more crying.

This is sort of how I feel living in the city. But, I know if I go outside to take a crap no one will come out and cry with me. I'll probably just get shit on my shoes and wish I had better aim.

Two words that sum up why my g-friend is smarter than me:

Dinosaur Ghosts

Ongoing List of Things I Predict Will Become Popular:

1. Anti-Sideburns: Hair is shaven either even to where the ear connects to the head, or upward toward the temple at a 45 degree angle.

2. Ironic tattoos: People get crappy tatoos on purpose, e.g., the Tasmanian Devil wearing cross-country skis eating a Philly Cheesesteak, a unicorn with a butterfly tattoo on its buttcheek, a poorly drawn portrait of someone else's baby or fiance, Celine Dion standing over Dr. Phil in a boxing ring recreating the famous photo of Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston.

3. Figs: They're the next big thing. I guarantee it.

Ten days ago, I started thrusting wood for building wharves into the sand and mud benath the ocean. I then began to gather large numbers of different kinds of sea life around each piling: dolphins, octopuses, lobsters, sea turtles, sharks, squids, starfish, jelly fish, marlins, barracudas, tropical fish, crazy deep sea fish, all kinds of shit.

Now, my work is done. The park opens on Tuesday, July 26. Kids get half-off admission with an honor roll report card or an empty Coke can.

Title of my forthcoming novel:

The Saddest Astronaut of All

Gerald left the post office and went to sit in his railroad car. Junk mail, a dry cleaning bill, and a letter from Mr. Quincy Bandana. He opened the letter:



Dear Mr. Geraldo,

Thank you for your letter. I am very much interested in pursuing a partnership with you. With your expert knowledge of hobo culture and my fifty plus years of bandana related experience, we should be able to corner the hobo-style luggage market. Your patent for a telescoping hobo stick with built-in bandana attachment device is groundbreaking, as is my new multi-compartment, prefolded bandana.

I will be sending you twenty bandanas for you to use in constructing a prototype. Remember, we want our product to have the desired hobo look, but still be appealing and functional for the fashionable, upper class lady on the go. I will continue testing new colors, fabrics and designs, as well. If I come across something special, I will notify you ASAP. Also, if you have the time, please consider constructing some hobo sticks from gem encrusted precious metals. I can see these being a big high-end seller.

As you know, marketing will be the key to our success. I have recently become aware of a televsion series in development at Bravo in which celebrities ride the rails for a week and a half and have their experiences documented. It is critical that that our product be prominently invloved in this series.

I am very excited about this project. Please keep me abreast of any developments as they arise, I will do the same. As this endeavor escalates, we will most probably need to begin corresponding by means other than postal mail.

Sincerely Yours,
Mr. Quincy Bandana



Gerald wiped the tears of joy from his eyes. His dream was coming true. He began to envision a day when he would no longer be ashamed to be a fifth generation hobo. Sure, he had a post office box, but outside of the hobo circuit that was not much of a status symbol. Gerald wanted more. He wanted to shower indoors and eat hot food. He wanted a permanent place to keep his harmonica, can opener, and panhandling cup, so he wouldn't have to carry them around anymore unless he wanted to play the blues, open baked beans, or beg for money. Things were definitely looking up for Gerald G. Geraldo.

Back at his workshop, Quicy Bandana was feverishly sewing a new bandana from ostrich leather, sea shells, and organic silk. Although he was a little leary of joining forces with a real life hobo, he saw potential in Gerald Geraldo. He knew tha man probably hadn't showered in months and had teeth black as the dark side of the moon, but his hobo stick design was second to none.

Do I have what it takes to be a manager at a local Chuck E. Cheese?

5 Reasons "YES":

1. I love pizza.
2. I am mechanically inclined, so I could perform maintenance on the robots.
3. I already wear a red vest pretty much every day.
4. I ain't afraid of baby teeth.
5. I can read.


5 Reasons "NO":

1. I love pizza.
2. I have a propensity for walking with high knees and aiming for fat, ugly faces.
3. I hate short people with crooked or missing teeth, bad hygiene, and speech impediments.
4. I know what's at the bottom of the ball pit.
5. If shit gets bad and some kid is stuck up to his waist in the Whack-A-Mole and I got six mothers with a combined weight total of 2.5 tons breathing down my neck because Chuck's hungover again and the bathroom is overflowing with pizza turds, I would declare martial law and let God sort out the casualities.

.:Stalling:.

Latrinalia Volume I: A Written and Photographic Chronical of American Bathroom Art
Latrinalia Volume II: A Written and Photographic Chronical of International
Bathroom Art with a Special Section Featuring Responses to Volume I and
Artist Submissions Via Webpage

../LOCALES\..

Schools > Elementary, Middle, High, College
Restaurants and Bars
Stores and Malls
Truckstops and Rest Areas
Stadiums and Theme Parks
Offices

../ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST\..

Locate and Interview Artists, Profiling Life, Work and Towns
Markers and Paint Vs Scraping, and Other Techniques
Running Themes > Sexism, Racism and Anti-Semitism, Homophobia, Sex: Including Preferences, Perversions, Genitalia and Solicitiation), and Humor
Regional Comparisons

../METHOD OF COLLECTION\..

High End Digital Camera with Attachable Light, Tripod, and Lenses
Possibly Two Separate Cameras: One for Art and One for Artists and Locations
Photography/Image Editing Software
Written and Recorded Notes of Art, Artists and Locations Using Notebooks and Cheap Digital Voice Recorder
All Compiled on Computer

../FINISHED PRODUCT\..

Oversized, Full-Color Book with Close-up Photos of the Best Latrinalia
with Commentary on Each Piece and a Chronical of How and Where They Were Found
50% Photos / 50% Writing

I think the world would be a much better place if all animals remained baby-sized. We would all still become fully developed adults - there would just be a lot more space for everything. And, there would be more food for our baby mouths and everyone would drive baby cars. Everything we made would be little - buildings, planes, prepackaged food. It would be great. You could fit a whole zoo in your backyard.

Plants would stay the same size. Trees would be crazy huge. Even a little shit tree would be like a redwood to us, and you could sit in a watermelon while you ate it.

The ocean might be a little bit of a bitch though (with big ass waves coming every five seconds), but I think we could overcome this by becoming better swimmers and using submarines more often.

All in all I'm really excited about the baby world.

That Damn Pig

There was a pig walking down the road, coming right at me, so I started to run and then it started to run, and in about fifteen seconds there was a terrible collision. His head hit me in the shins, sending me flipping over him - my whole face momentarily touching his sparsely-haired back. I ended sitting up with my back to his ass, and I could feel his curly, coiled tail dangling around behind my head. As I stood up and turned around, I tried to decided if our game of chicken was in good fun or if we both sprinted out of spontaneous malcontent - neither of us had seen the other before. It seemed like it was all for fun because he had a smile on his face, and I couldn't help but grin right back at the little bugger. Just then, I heard an engine roar and a Ryder truck full of a houseload of furniture, clothes, dishes, electronics, and other stuff came zooming down the road. Before I knew what I was doing, I picked that pig up and flung him at the big yellow truck, and with a WHAM! he hit the broadside flatly and bounced off like a racquet ball. The little clump of pink skin rolled end over end through the grass on the side of the road. I jogged over to where he stopped. When he regained his balance, the pig slowly raised his head and looked me in the eye as if to say, "You got me, you bastard," and we shared a little laugh. Porkface (as he has come to be known) sensing that I had momentarily let down my guard, reared up on his hind legs and stomped on my instep with both of his front hooves, digging his razor sharp pig nails into my flesh. Involuntarily, I bent down to clutch my injured feet. Porkface swung his body around like lightning, and, just as my face reached his level, he dealt me a swift and severe donkey kick right in the mouth. I staggered back a few steps before retaliating with a mixture of broken teeth and blood spit directly into his fucking eyes. That's when he really got pissed off. Somehow, he managed to hook me around the ankle and trip me to the ground. And, in an instant, he was on top of me, pummeling my face and groin with hoof stomps, oinking like a demon. I tried to fight him off, but there was no stopping him. I was being bludgeoned to death. As, I lost consciousness, I remember hearing a car door slam followed by someone laughing hysterically and then saying, "Holy shit, I think that pig is gonna kill that dude."

Unmentionable Facts

1. A man exists who has a hook for a hand and answers to the name "Lemon."

2. Lemon drives a tow truck.

3. His son, Joe Dotson, can injure himself at will.

4. Joe never uses "the," exclusively preferring "thee." He thinks this makes him sound smarter, and he is right.

I'm a Grown Man , Things Like This Shouldn't Happen

I only had two beers, but since there's no gas stations up there and the cops are always patroling the streets, I completely pissed my pants while driving my car around looking for a safe place to pull over. The dread I had felt for a number of minutes was replaced by panic as I squirmed in my seat looking for a way, any way to keep the piss in my body and out of my pants, and in turn off of the seat beneath me. Eventually, I surrendered to the piss and the panic soon faded into a sweet bliss unknown to most other drivers. Driving toward home in warm, wet pants, I stopped at a gas station to buy cigarettes after coming to terms with and fully embracing the absurdity of my situation. No one said anything, not even a whispered comment, about the warm, wet stains covering my legs from my waist to down below my knees. I really thought they would say something, but maybe people just figure that you already know that you pissed your pants, so pointing it out would be kind of rude.

Sleeping in the driver's seat of a school bus parked on a hill facing downward, I wake up from a dream about being on the Family Feud television program. There were five of me going against a family named the Richardsons (Father = James, smart sport coat, slick hair, big chin Mother = Jean, royal blue dress, short permed hair, big glasses Daughter = Megan, fat, yellow dress with one of those napkin looking things on the front Cousin = Amber, fatter, same kind of fat girl dress in green, buck teeth Uncle = Marty, suit too tight, moustache, hairy hands).

Other than having to stand next to four other versions of myself, the most troubling aspect of the game was that all four previous hosts (Richard Dawson, then Ray Combs, then Louie Anderson, then Richard Karn) were trying to host the show at the same time. After doing their intros simultaneously, they lined up single file in front of the Richardsons and one by one got chummy with James and had him introduce his family four times. I knew I was next, or I,I,I,I, and I were next. I wanted to make up fake names for the other mes and say we were quints or something but we all had name tags. So, I said, "All of these people are me, or at least look exactly like me. So, I guess we are family?" Each host reacted to this like I was just introducing my fat, boring wife, my horribly ordinary children, and some other unspecified, unremarkable family member.

I met James in the first head-to-head battle. After James shook my hand a little too long, Richard Dawson said, “We pretended to conduct a survey of 100 people, but instead our writers just decided what sounded right for this question: How many times a week do you use a porto-potty?” Then, Ray, Louie, and Richard Karn asked the same question before the clock started, so I had plenty of time to prepare an answer. After they had all finished speaking, I buzzed in immediately and said, “seven,” thinking that most Americans worked on construction sites or at cheap carnivals, and that they would have to shit at least once a day in a humid, squalid fiberglass chamber filled with aqua marine tinged light and homophobic, anti-semetic graffiti. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy, including the other mes, and, obviously, James followed me with the number one answer of “two.”

I didn’t really pay attention to the Richardsons answering their questions (they got them all right). Instead, I spent a minute looking at myselves and wondering if they all were hungry too, and suddenly the mes were down by 120 points. Me2 went next and won control of “Name a kind of bread” with “white.” Mes 3, 4, and 5 swept the board with “rye,” “wheat,” and “pumpernickel.” I would have said “potato,” and I would have a gotten a big strike accompanied by the loud loud buzzer horn.

For the rest of the game, the hosts took turns asking the questions. When Richard Dawson went, the others threw dice. When Ray Combs went, the others made fun of how short he was. When Louie Anderson went, the others got balloons, blew them full of air, and let the out air while stretching the open end taut to mimic his voice. When Richard Karn went, the others put on plaid shirts and cut wood.

I, I, I, I, and I soundly thumped the Richardsons (mostly I think because one of the other mes threatened to rip one of the tiny microphones from the counter (I guess it would be called a counter) in front of us and shove it into the eye of the next person who said, “Good answer,” when one of their family members said something moronic like “pin the tail on the donkey” in response to “Name a game or sport that uses an animal.” Richard Karn asked us the “Fast Money” questions, “us” being me and one of the other mes. Richard Dawson hit on the fatter cousin, Ray Combs sat in a corner drinking straight vodka, and Louie, well, you know, he was eating Boston cream pies. I went first and got 145 points (55 away from the big money) but the other me started stuttering and didn’t answer the first question until there were only 4 seconds left. (“Name something you keep in you glove compartment.” “Ff-f-f-f-f-fff-f-f-f-f-ffl—flllf-l-fl—l-f-l-lf-flfl-fllf-ll—lffllf-l-f-l-fl-flashlight.”) And then, Richard Karn was a dick and ran out of time before asking, “What state has the best beaches?”

I sprinted, leapt, and dropped kicked myself in the face. Teeth were lost and a brawl ensued, at the end of which I wake up in the driver’s seat of a school bus parked on a hill facing downward. I release the parking brake and head down the hill in neutral with the engine off. I reach the bottom and coast gently up the other side and back down again, then back up, then back down again, over and over until I stop.