Saturday, April 22, 2006

Anagrams of Scranch

The Internet Anagram Server says that the anagrams of scranch include:

A RAT ORB WAFFLE
YOU CROCHET SKID MURKS

Actually I am lying. You can't rearrange the letters of scranch to form any other words because scranch is pure and contains no hidden messages or references to the rest of the world.

However, scranch is a rare example of a LTR asymmetric palindrome.

Fight!

I got challenged to a fight last week.

I had made it through school without any kind of friction by relying on my sense of humor and a well timed joke. After I finished college and joined the workforce I knew I had lost my timing and any idea of what might, or might not, be appropriate.

It didn't stop me, but I knew things were going awry. I was getting fewer laughs and longer silences. Physical humor was no longer working. I tried a bit of interpersonal joshing and BAM - I was meeting someone outside, after work, Friday. I had an entire day for preparation and I had never been in a fight before.

That night, Thursday, I found myself in my pyjamas brushing my teeth and worrying. Brushing your teeth is done in the bathroom in front of the mirror. I was brushing, but at the same time I was looking into my own eyes and I did not see any victory there. After rinsing, instead of going to bed and I went into the den where my father was watching television and perched on the arm of his chair. This was our unspoken signal.

"Why aren't you in bed?", he asked. I shrugged.

"What's troubling you?"

"I got into a fight," I said.

This made him look away from the tv.

"Did you win?"

"We haven't fought yet. It's tomorrow after work."

My father was silent, but he nodded his head.

"I don't recall you ever having a fight." He turned to look at me. "Is this your first one?"

I nodded. He took my arm and dragged me off the chair and around in front of him. He sat up.

"Fighting is a nasty business, so you can be nasty doing it. Stand up straight and put your fists up."

I held out my fists and looked at him over my clenched fingers.

"Those are pretty good fists," he said, "but you might want to move your thumbs out of the way."

I circled my fists in the air. My father arched an eyebrow and shrugged.

"When you're fighting, you don't really want to hit the guy too much because you might break your hand on one of his face bones. When the fight starts, do something like this."

He smacked at my head with his open hands. I beat back at him with my balled fingers.

"See. He has to hit up at your hands, leaving himself completely undefended down below. That's when you kick him in the balls."

He sat back and I lowered my clumsy fists.

"But I'm fighting a girl. I can't kick her in the balls."

He sighed and his chest sunk.

"Then the best you can do is lose gracefully."

"She works in the cubicle next to mine and I think I love her."

"Then you better hope she leaves you bleeding."

Thursday, April 20, 2006

The sun has set




And it's not coming back.
Because of that thing you did.

Even if you are not caught
there are always repercussions.
Like the sun extinguishing
five billion years ahead of schedule.

Thanks a bunch,
from all of us.

All we have left now is Scranch.

And cannibalism.

Nothing to eat
but vegetarians
by candlelight
for the next six months.

Then we must eat our pets.
That will be a sad day.

In the city,
our pets are so small
most will not provide
for a decent sandwich.

I keep fish,
bright tiny fish
made mostly of bones
and scales.

they will be hard to catch
in the dark.