I ran into a friend the other day. After some how-are-you-doings, she said: I really enjoy your posts on The Devil’s Gift.
Thank you.
Well, I should say, not all of them, but most.
Really? Which ones don’t you like?
I think you know. I’m tired of the whirlwind. I’m sick of the cabaret. I’m sick of the Chicken Littles. I’m tired of the haranguing. I’m exhausted. Worn out. I need some tranquility. Can’t you please write about something else?
Of course I can. And will. No problem.
And so on Monday I sat down to write a piece, fingertips hovering over the keyboard, determined, eager, ready.
Go on. Begin. Ignore that elephant in your head. Just start!
I couldn’t.
I tried again on Tuesday.
Go on. You can do this! Pretend there’s no elephant in your head.
I couldn’t.
On Wednesday I began writing. It was a piece about the lightning strike near our house a week ago, about our loss of power and, most tragically, our WiFi. We groused, groaned, and moaned. And then remembered Gaza.
That’s it. Great! Keep going. Ignore the elephant. Don’t look at it! It’s pink!
I stopped and walked away.
not to worry dear readers im here for you
you can see the devils beloved advocate quit 200 words shy of his 400 word limit but we mustnt waste that precious space so ive taken over the cockpit
let me introduce myself
im a cockroach
you dont know me but you may remember my father archy
early last century he clandestinely typed missives without capitalizations because the shift key is impossible for cockroaches
i thought id help my beleaguered friend finish this piece since hes got the yips
alas he can’t ignore the elephant in his head so i thought id tell you what us cockroaches think of that cocksure cocksucker in the white house
hes beneath us
you know we cockroaches dont scare easily but we are really scared these days
we don’t feel safe anywhere on the planet and believe me weve been everywhere on this planet and let me tell you this is no planet for cockroaches anymore
we have all agreed to get on the first colonization flight to mars
beam us up elon
thats it im done here
ps may archy and mehitabel rest in peace
