Beat Night Piece 4-18-13

(This piece was written at the bar at the Press Room during the first part of Beat Night. It was performed with the full the full band, with Larry Simon making a now rare appearance. Larry Simon and Scott Solsky- guitar; Cynthia Chatis- flute, vocals; Scip Gallant- keyboards; Mike Barron- drums; Chris Stamba- bass; Frank Laurino- percussion; and the legendary David Amram- piano. That was an extraordinary privilege for me.)

Red is dead.

I found out yesterday

as I was talking about the guy

who replaced him

as the ironically titled

Stableman

for the carriage company

I drove for;

I was told

Red is dead

& has been

for two years;

I was just a little upset

& said

Well, he was an obese

elderly

alcoholic

so I’m not surprised,

I just wish I could have been to the memorial;

They still have his cane hanging at the D-Street Tavern;

I used to throw knives

outside the barn

after work

into a 3” thick

7x3 foot

cardboard target

with Red’s outline traced on it (his idea);

Red watched me

one day

failing to stick

a new set of knives

& becoming angrier

with each throw;

He stopped me

& said in his

weird speech

a hybrid of Quebecois

and long drunk years

“Da fuck’s ya problem?”

“My knives are cheap.”

“Bu’shit. ‘s’not da knives. I can get any knife inta tahget.”

“Bullshit.” I said.

“Don’ b’lieve me?”

I shook my head, and he huffed and waddled into the barn

and returned with the cheap

neglected

kitchen knife

used to cut twine from hay bales;

“I’m gon’ stick dis inna tahget. Ya b’lieve me?”

“No.”

He walked 5 paces from target

turned

raised the knife

in an uncomfortable

stiff grip

and stuck the knife

into the outline of his own head;

I gaped;

Read Said:

“Wha’ I te’ ya? Any knife. Ya just go’ find da right grip.”

I looked skeptical

& he said, holding up his arm

“Look. My fucken’ wrist is fused. Don’ bend, don’ twist. 

But I foun’ da grip, and stuck da knife.

Wha’s yah excuse?”

I had none.

I took my knives

found the grip

and stuck them all.

Chris Walters

2013