| Rounding the corner, I tripped on my | | | | comment."So how long you been State |
| shoe lace. As I bent down on one knee I | | | | side, you know in country?"" Only three |
| looked straight out as my hands grabbed | | | | months out of County Roscommon before my |
| my laces and began their dance. A | | | | departure back across the sea. You |
| blinding flash, as the sun made a quick | | | | believe after fighting those damn Gufies |
| turn off a marble surface in the | | | | and puddens, I had to share trenches in |
| distance. Which happened to make my | | | | the desert with them. From throwing |
| hands slip upon something they knew as | | | | grenades at them from ditches on the |
| well as my lungs know to breathe. I | | | | side of the road to sharing a canteen. |
| looked down to concentrate on what I was | | | | Tis a strange world Jesus, Mary, and |
| doing and finished the knot, double | | | | Joseph."I was a bit lost to what a |
| tied.Damn size fourteen shoe laces. | | | | guffie or pudden was but I nodded any |
| After size 12, they make one size only | | | | way since he seemed quite agitated."By |
| that you can hang a full size man with. | | | | the way, the name is O'Niel, Seamus |
| Sometimes I think they are artifacts of | | | | O.Niel. I hate going around anonymous |
| the appropriate length to hang myself | | | | with those who comes to these parts and |
| after a full night on a bender of | | | | commune with me. But being a dime a |
| Martinis and M+M's. Granted a strange, | | | | dozen, you know Joe smith like. But |
| mixture, but indeed this morning was one | | | | being Jon Doe is something I never could |
| of those days I was second guessing it. | | | | stomach." he finished with a slug from a |
| I first encountered the pair on a train | | | | silver halmarked flask.Well hair of the |
| returning from Montreal. An older man | | | | dog and all, I took my obligatory swig |
| had got me a Martini, being only twelve | | | | from him and felt like I should use that |
| at the time I asked for a bag of M+M's | | | | empty grave for the Vietnam unknown. |
| to go along. Over the airs of a Piano | | | | Damn DNA testing gave that one a name |
| player, in those days was quite common, | | | | and moved him out. Air Force 1st Lt. |
| doing his best renditions of Billy Joel | | | | Michael Joseph Blassie. That war still |
| and other Magic 101 numbers. | | | | being a disgrace to most, they never |
| Unfortunately the man imparted some ill | | | | thought of placing maybe one of those |
| timed information about the where abouts | | | | M.I.A. in it they keep occasionally |
| of the ladies of the evening who paint | | | | digging up in some farmer's rice |
| the old town scarlet. Been back since on | | | | patty.They never dared give us gulf vets |
| my various travels, but have not looked | | | | one, the ghosts of this monument would |
| up his veracity as of yet. Which brings | | | | reject him for not being killed by an |
| me to this morning.Being a reporter for | | | | enemy. But then again it is all friendly |
| The Times, keeps me out of my own bed | | | | fire starting from birth in impoverished |
| allot. I tend to feel bad kicking all | | | | towns. Failing schools always breed a |
| those cockroaches out of their's, but I | | | | great feeding pool for those starched |
| figure I am at least a paying client. So | | | | uniforms circling in . Ignorance and |
| the M + M+M's mixture is a habit of | | | | desperation is always the way to sow the |
| travelocity. I checked into it with Blue | | | | fields to feed the cannons. From the |
| Shield and Blue Cross, but there is no | | | | earth, back to the earth."It was a shame |
| coverage for it. So this brings us back | | | | about that one, I was just getting to |
| to the shoe lace I am tripping on for | | | | know that shagger before they took him |
| the second time. I am just not up to | | | | away."I thought it strange he had such |
| snuff this morning as my trick knee does | | | | animosity for the Brits being from a |
| its act. So I pop one of my Percs and | | | | southern county. Maybe hatred could |
| head mindlessly to that glare.As I | | | | still linger in Atrium, but gernading |
| walked past those countless interments | | | | some modern Black and tans in the south? |
| of scores of boys who never had a chance | | | | It was not sitting straight. Then that |
| coming from the backwoods of some | | | | uniform, heavy brown wool. In the |
| forgotten town with those hilarious | | | | summer. Yes he had it open bearing his |
| signs, population 5. The mill always | | | | dirty T with a hole in the belly. As I |
| closes appropriately right before a | | | | looked again, I saw the jacket line up |
| war.As I rounded up the grass toward the | | | | just right to see a hole line up with |
| bright white marble, those three ladies; | | | | that one. Then the fag, Pall malls not |
| victory, Peace, and Valor winked at me. | | | | Marlboro or GNC. The trench lighter"Yes, |
| Victory flashed her leg, Valor stuck her | | | | even more dangerous than three on a |
| breasts out, and Peace seemed to be | | | | match. Damn blow torch will give you |
| brushed aside by Victory as she did her | | | | away each time.""What...""Yes, Jesus |
| best Claudette Colbear. I read the four | | | | Mary and Joseph you are one of the |
| marble slabs that rested flat into the | | | | slowest. I am to be unknown no more. I |
| plaza before those ladies. From east to | | | | told you I am to be no Jon Doe. Cursed |
| west was The Unknown of WWI, WWII, | | | | alive it was bad enough to be Seamus |
| Korea, and Vietnam. As I got half way | | | | O'Neil, bloody bullocks on those arhses |
| through the inscription of the slab on | | | | if they think three months in country |
| the Unknown from Vietnam, I was | | | | before shipped out I was going to be Jon |
| disturbed by some punk humming some | | | | doed and all."So I turned quickly around |
| insidious tune with lewd overtures. I | | | | expecting the other two to be standing |
| looked up and saw what was very popular | | | | behind me."Nah by this time of day they |
| in the Urban outfitters. He was wearing | | | | buggering the senators of the wartime |
| something purchased fom the local Army | | | | appropriations board, plastic trucks to |
| Navy store. But something was off about | | | | stop bullets, by noon they should be |
| him, but I could not place it. Just the | | | | Harassing that Defense security. A real |
| average military uniform worn without | | | | good Dickens they do on them, real top |
| the spit and shine. My time in the Gulf | | | | draw act.""Silainte!' he took one last |
| got me five in the jaw for wearing my | | | | slug before he disappeared."By the way I |
| zoot that way."Do you mind! Lets have a | | | | would quit sucking on those fags, they |
| moment of silence.""For the departed | | | | will kill you every time."My cigarette |
| unknowns?"No for my splitting head, I | | | | dropped from my lip with a full inch of |
| responded as he only laughed."So what | | | | an ash landing on my London fog. I know |
| are you doing here with the stiffs?" the | | | | who am I to talk, summer time and all. |
| kid said over his nose."Oh I just figure | | | | But my blood never seems to warm up from |
| if I show up in enough cemeteries I | | | | the M+M+M's until I get a prairie Oyster |
| might find all of those brain cells I | | | | into me.Christopher Jon Luke Dowgin is |
| have killed in the past. I found this | | | | propietor of Docspond Life Coach |
| witch doctor in Harlem, oh never mind, | | | | Services providing Individual |
| it is just a quest in vain." The kid | | | | Counseling, Group facilitation, and key |
| approached me and offered me a fag, as | | | | note addresses that speak to the heart |
| he shook a pack of Pall Malls to have a | | | | of the mission while delivering the |
| couple of cigarettes jockey for top | | | | bottom line finacial growth. Helping |
| position. I took the winner and turned | | | | millions find their bliss and return |
| down his light for my own.Besides the | | | | meaning to success! Guaranteed 20% |
| Trench lighter, the fag comment brought | | | | improvement in your quality of life |
| to light the confusion I was facing all | | | | aftre the first meeting!Also is the |
| morning. I had reported many Gay pride | | | | propietor and designer at Norgeforge |
| parades in New York, even ask Bloomberg | | | | Illumination Studios that will SEO |
| if he would be gay for the day as he | | | | illuminated design giving Aesthetics to |
| earlier proclaimed he was going to be | | | | traffic driven sales. So get out of the |
| Irish or Italian for the day. No | | | | cold and get Norgeforged! |