Theme Thursday - Light

Hands and arms extended before him,

feeling his way through the darkness,

He sensed piercing eyes

watching his every move.

His skin crawled with fear.

He stepped up his pace,

trying not to trip over unseen obstacles.

He knew if he fell

he may never get up.

They would be upon him.

Theirs was an unspoken pack mentality.

A sixth sense of communication

that would allow them to envelop him

like wolves on a sickly elk.

He kept steady,

never wavering from his course,

keeping his one goal in mind.

He couldn’t allow his fear of the dark

to overtake him.

Finally, he felt the solid object he sought.

His hands frantically explored

the familiar flat surface

while he once again

felt the pressure of the unseen.

Suddenly his fingers reached their ultimate goal.

Fumbling with urgency

of someone clawing their way

out of a grave,

the object clicked

and he felt relief.

Never again

would he let his dad

close his bedroom door

without turning on his nightlight.

This is a Theme Thursday post. Follow the link for more creative TT stories.

What the Hell Wednesday - "I love you, man"

I have heard of some ridiculous reasons for being arrested but I am having difficulties wrapping my arms around this one. I don't know much about Iowa, but I have always thought of them as gentle farm folk. This story from the Associated Press sheds a bit more light on these "gentle souls".

Iowa man who just wanted a hug lands in jail

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Police arrested a man who they said punched another man who refused to hug him. Iowa City police responded to a report of someone being aggressive and punching cars Sunday night. The suspect, a 23-year-old man, told police he became upset after he tried to hug a man and was pushed away.
Police said the man punched and dented the hood of a car before punching the man he tried to hug.
Police said the man had a blood-alcohol content of .086. He was charged with simple assault and fourth-degree criminal mischief, a serious misdemeanor.

A .086? I've blown higher than that the morning after....of course that was more than 20 years ago, but if you're gonna get drunk, Iowa, do it right. Anyway, I can just picture one of those "I love you, man" moments in the parking lot of some tavern where only one guy was interested in a bit of man hugging. (Reminder - Iowa farmers, Bible Belt, need I state the obvious.)

And the scene goes from manly hug offer to professional wrestling in a heart beat. A car punching to warm up the old fist followed by a bit of face bruising. What I don't understand is why did the police get involved. I always thought tavern parking lot scuffles where just between us guys and nobody got sent to jail. Apparently, Mr. I Don't Want No Stinkin' Hug called the police right after the punch to the face made him say, "What the Hell?"

One Shot Wednesday - No more crying

We start our lives crying
always dying.
Living life to be a corpse
at the end of course.
Life is ever changing
rearranging.
Confusion reigns at every turn
we try to learn.
Greed has our planet dying
back to crying.
We need to start relearning
not stomach churning.
We need to sacrifice
not just once or twice.
Back to a life of sharing
ever caring.
Remembering your neighbor
providing favor.
Give to this world your love.
Peace soaring like a dove.
End the crying
and the dying.

I have never been one for rhyming poetry, but had this goofy rhythm going through my mind. Figured I would toss it how for reaction. That's what One Shot Wednesday at One Stop Poetry is for, I guess.

Microfiction Monday

Closing her eyes

and opening her mind
to the ether.
So many souls to choose from,
she wanted her first child
to match her soul for eternity.

This is a Microfiction Monday as hosted my Susan at Stony River.

Sunday 160 - Summer's Heat

A gentle breeze

danced across his back

cooling beads of sweat

and giving temporary relief

from the sweltering heat.

He enjoyed

the life giving warmth

of summer.
________________________

For the original Sunday 160 post click here.
If you wish to take the challenge, here is a quick look at the rules.
The Sunday 160 only uses 160 characters (including spaces).
Keep on schedule - post Sunday.
Let me know you have posted via a comment on my site.
Visit at least one other Sunday 160.
_______________________

What the Hell Wednesday - Library Vandal Update

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to your local library, the Boise, Idaho library return deposit vandal splashes back into the news. If you don't feel like using the link to get the original story, allow me to remind you that our vandal was arrested to throwing mayonnaise, among other condiment items, into a local Boise library book return bin. Here is the latest as seen in the Sunday, July 18 issue of The Oregonian.

Boise -

Suspected condiment vandal arrested again

Boise police have again arrested a woman who is accused of repeatedly dumping maple syrup, corn syrup, ketchup and mayonnaise into a library book drop in Idaho's capital city.

Authorities issued a pair of warrants for 74-year-old Joy Cassidy's arrest earlier this month after she failed to appear in court.

But she turned herself in last week at the Ada County jail. Cassidy originally was arrested June 13.

That's after police say she poured mayonnaise in the library's book drop that day - and was a person of interest in at least 10 other condiment-related incidents since May 2009 at the Ada Community Library in Boise.

In addition to malicious injury to property, Cassidy also has been charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a license.

The weapon was under her car seat, in violation of Idaho law. - The Associated Press

Woo Whee! That is such a HUGE leap from condiments to firearms. I swear you can't make this stuff up. Have you ever been out on an old country road and driven past a deer crossing sign that locals have obviously mistaken for the real thing and peppered it with bullets? Well, I can just picture Joy hanging out her window, 45 in hand, firing away at the book bin - paper and metal flying everywhere.

At first I envisioned her as some grandmotherly woman shuffling along with her mayo jar, but now??? We're talking a teeth gritting Ma Barker with Tommy Gun barrel flashing away at those evil books. Perhaps she is one of those who sees Huckleberry Fin as racist - uh, look when it was written? Or maybe she thinks Steven King isn't violent enough.

All I know is that I am very grateful she showed up in the paper again so I could read the article and loudly proclaim "What the Hell?"

Sunday 160 - Cousins

The similarity was haunting,
not looks,
but mannerisms and speech.
Even the twisted humor
weaved in and out
of conversation.
Blood was truly thicker than water.
________________________

For the original Sunday 160 post click here.
If you wish to take the challenge, here is a quick look at the rules.
The Sunday 160 only uses 160 characters (including spaces).
Keep on schedule - post Sunday.
Let me know you have posted via a comment on my site.
Visit at least one other Sunday 160.
_______________________

Be my guest 55

“Guest post on my blog?” I asked hopefully.

My head in her hands, she whispered. The words warm with love and gentle as a summer breeze, “Peanut butter toast, Grandma Betty, August 3rd, Lasagna, Amelia Earhart, shrubbery, Dorothy, garden tomatoes, keys, Irish Whiskey and Anastasia.”

Each word a story unto itself of our shared lives.
____________________________

This is a Flash Fiction Friday 55.
If you want to know what the hell that means visit g-man.
The challenge is on.
____________________________

Or if you want yet another challenge write a Sunday 160.
Like a text message, the Sunday 160 only uses 160 characters (including spaces)
Keep on schedule - post Sunday
Let me know you have posted via a comment on my site
Visit at least one other Sunday 160

What the Hell Wednesday - Put down the beer and the gun

We go from coast to coast for this week's What the Hell Wednesday. I am telling you that you just can't make this stuff up and what people do is so stupefying it leaves you speechless. Okay, I am seldom left speechless as my comments on these two stories demonstrate.

Deputies: Pasco man took stolen tractor on beer run
By Vivian Yee, St. Petersburg Times Staff Writer

LAND O'LAKES - About 11 p.m. Friday, a deputy pulled over a man driving a Massey Ferguson box blade tractor west on Wisteria Loop. The tractor had been stolen from a roadside construction site, according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report. Deputies said the driver, Heath Cannon, reeked of alcohol.

"I'm sorry, I drove the tractor to the RaceTrac to buy a beer," Cannon, 43, told deputies, according to the report.

Cannon, of 19615 Bexley Road in Land O'Lakes, has previously been convicted of theft and loitering and prowling. Early Saturday, he was arrested in connection with the theft of the $15,000 tractor, which had been reported missing by a construction company doing road work along U.S. 41. He also was charged with possession of burglary tools.

He is being held in the Land O'Lakes jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Since I'm not an east coast guy, I had to look up Race Trac. It's a combo convenience store / gas station back there. Can't you just see this guy all but falling out of some tractor in the parking lot of the RaceTrac store, buying beer from a stunned, slack jawed attendant then driving off in his tractor with intentions to pick up his favorite girl. Who I am sure had all of her teeth.

Then again, since he had his burglary tools with him still, perhaps he was on his way to some nice quiet residential area - on his tractor - to sneak up on poor unsuspecting victims. Or just planned on turning his trailer into a real mobile home.

Too bad the police interrupted Mr. Cannon's drive. His date was probably pissed that he never showed up....no doubt thirsty, too. So was this guy thinking he would just blend in with the rest of traffic as his plowed his way down the road? And what do you suppose his SAT scores were? Regardless, anyone driving by was left to say - What the Hell?

But wait....there's more. My local paper, The Oregonian, strikes again. This time with a sad story from the southern Oregon coastal town of Gold Beach.

Man, 72, shoots grandson, 22

GOLD BEACH - A 72-year-old man shot his grandson early Sunday morning after the young man surprised him at their Gold Beach home, Gold Beach Sheriff John Bishop said.

Arthur Harkey told deputies he was awakened by a noise sometime after 4 a.m. He grabbed his gun from the nightstand and was startled by a figure in the hallway. He fired at close range and then realized he had shot his grandson, Raymond Murray, 22. He called 9-1-1 for help.

Murray suffered a gunshot wound to his lower abdomen. He was taken to local hospitals and then transported to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland where he was reported in serious condition Monday evening. - Lori Tobias

Okay, this is a real unfortunate incident, but wouldn't you love to know what the heck preceded the "young man" entering his grandfather's house at 4 a.m.? Did he live with Grandpa and was sneaking into the house after a night out with the boys - again - and Grandpa was sick and tired of the drunken little sot waking him in the middle of the night?

Did he drive all day to surprise Grandpa with an unexpected visit from his beloved grandson? "Surprise!! Grandpa, it's..." BANG! "me....uhhhhhnnn."

Anyway you look at it, both grandfather and grandson were surprised and both were saying - What the Hell?

One Stop Movie of the Week

Moving silently

across the blue screen,

characters of fluffy,

gray tinged white cotton candy

played an unending game of tag.

Giant bunnies baring down on dragons.

Stick chasing dogs dissipating into

puffs of wind blown snow balls.

Scenery ever changing.

Always entertaining.

Hypnotic.

Creative.

A museum

of art in the sky.

This is a Monkey contribution to One Stop Poetry.

If you want to read other contributions,

please follow the One Stop link.