I did not come here to sing I did not come here to sing But he does sing, anyway. Unexpectedly. The band leader called him out, and up. We are in the company of greatness! Please, Mr. Ambolley, please come and join us on stage. Lounging in the back, chatting with friends under the stars. …
Author Archives: Radutti
Bigger goals
The generator is humming today, but it’s the crickets buzzing that grab my attention. There must be so many, hidden in the grass. Krrrrrrrrrrrt. Krrrrrrrrrrt. Don’t they get crushed by the boots? I breathe heavily, not quite panting, but close. My heart bumps as I regret a lack of exercise over the past week. Month. …
Commute
First bend, a right turn Papa Did you know this is the smoothest part of our ride We round, the morning still quiet. Our ride together allows us to slowly wake, in unison with the world. We pass a young boy on his way to school. He seems lost in thought, but still has time …
Spiced
Leticia and I have quiet agreements. She glides, like a ray patrolling the reef, graceful, steady, her daily rounds. She has her stops, a pattern to follow. At the same point in each morning, she pokes her head in the door, makes bright eye contact, and smiles. Without saying a word, only raising her arms …
Elephant Poop
We lounge on the bed, the gentle breeze of the ceiling fan fueling our indifference to ambition. Elephant steps out of the bathroom, pantless yet unconcerned. Papa Yeah buddy? Toilet paper is divided into two parts He precisely pries the two ply plys, then proudly prizes the pried paired plys for our proud prying eyes. …
Distance
Driver’s license. He takes the gray tri-fold pamphlet with showmanship befitting his immaculate, neatly-trimmed uniform. He studies it carefully, a matching hat tipped slightly, shading a corner of his face. He means business. Roo-doo. Yes, please. I don’t correct him. You’ll need to accompany me to the courthouse. I need to write this up. I …
Anchorman
Today it is his turn to dive. Loaded with netting, a threadbare hull scarred by sun, deeply worn by wind and wave, the canoe is nightmare fuel for one who does not understand or respect the ocean. But clearly, these men do. Oars in hand, synchronous, attuned. A six-person canoe that, for now, holds seven. …
Where we stand
Atop the ridge The fishing boats in the village below swoon. At rest, for now. Their bright flags stand taut, and ready. The boy begins to climb. He expertly navigates the swarm of boulders piled hundreds deep. Barefoot, agile, he ascends to greet. He’s done this before. Clearly, so too have his friends. Word is …
Satisfaction
There’s a moment in The Good Place where our protagonist Eleanor chooses from a limitless array of frozen yogurt flavours, finally landing on Fully Charged Cell Phone Battery. “This really is satisfying.” she proclaims with a nod. It’s an incredible bit of social commentary, pointing directly at where we are in place and time. Of …
On the Ground
We’ve made a terrible mistake Bags quietly hit the floor and we remove our shoes. She gently draws the curtains and we peer through accordion bars at a yellowish-gray wall, neatly crowned with spiraling barbed wire. Nobody getting in here Or out Light filters in, but it’s a musty, flaccid light, with little soul, or …
Get Up Eight 