Infelocity

Infelocity
---------

her brother was planning
another of his mystery tours
--of the wilderness--

leaving without a plan--
no communication
as to
--destination
--duration
--motivation
just a sense that he
loved to be
somewhere
_else_
--alone
--isolated
--lost in a world
where he disappears

in spectral ecstasy

la contessa fretted
and yearned for a brother who
could just be there
--in a chair
--on the balcony
--in a short walk to the Birchwood

from her post-surgery wheelchair
and a foot in pain
--she accepted
--a memorial day invitation
on the eve of the delayed exploration

she waited
--half expecting him to disappoint
--once more
...
then he appeared,
as silently as he would often vanish--
late
but welcome

il matto wanted to ensure that
la contessa was safe on uneven sidwalks
dusty potholes and savage curbs
so he grabbed the handles of the
wheeled chair and pushed her

navigating

--as conversation--
passed between brother and sister

il matto was content to simply
listen
--silent--
watching for the buckling of
cement and bituminous road bed

=-at the restaurant he was scoffing
at the idea of flushing
korans into toilets at
guantanamo--

"how could you flush
a koran down the toilet?" -- he sneered --
unusually cynical and sarcastic --
all at once -- he was not

overtly

political --

he drew the smoke from his
cigarette
and exhaled in the direction
of la contessa's allergies --

how could he not have known?

he talked of books he wanted
to leave her
---
and plans for nieces to care
for the cat

but the trip itself
--was to remain concealed--
--a mystery to be unwound--

when the meal was done
il matto took the dishes inside,
returning to find that
her brother had
taken control of the chair

and was headed
back to the tree house

il matto quickened his pace
and caught up
to the two,
suggesting the asfalt alleyway--

he figured it was smoother
and less susceptible to her brother's
casual disregard for the terrain

...

that's when it occurred,
the conversation on childhood --
his reminiscence of their time
together ... as children ...
sharing secrets ...
connecting in ways la contessa
had long tried to
establish once more ...

he was in a new place,
almost calm,
a little boy pushing a waggon,
with his older sister
enjoying the ride --

"did you know" -- he suddendly said --
"that the secret name you gave me
was to basis for all my computer passwords?" --

the computer scientist,
the champion chess player,
the mountain climber
and
--wilderness trekker--

had laid it out there, on the
chessboard --
one last move --

--castling--

that most curious of defensive
acts--

--the master
giving up the keys to the castle--

"infelocity"

josjr (2010 1108)
http://josjr.com