My childhood was both sour and sweet,
Sour because I lived with two mothers who were immiscible liquids,
Sour because of sibling conflict and strife,
Sweet because my brother and I enjoyed the company of communal friends.
Growing up on Apple Avenue was a memorable experience,
There was a large field at one end,
It housed a public school,
There were vendors on the field who sold indigenous confections,
My brother and I were their loyal customers,
There was a tree on the field that barely had leaves even during the rainy season,
We were told different mystical tales about the tree.
The highlight of one of the evenings was a bicycle race,
Chopper versus BMX,
The race was about which bike was faster,
In the maiden race, my brother was a few metres ahead,
The Chopper rider committed a foul,
He collided with the rear wheel of my brother’s bicycle,
My brother’s bicycle tumbled and he sustained injuries,
It resulted in a fight between rival groups.
The bicycle race was on hold for a long time.
September 25, 2026.
Est 1938
Purchasing candy cigarettes from you
Mischief in your tiny parking lot
Doing wheelies around you on my General Lee BMX bike
Renting ancient overpriced films
Buying superman ice cream
even if it tastes like chalk
Journeying to you in a battered golf cart
Friends strapped to the rear
snickers ice cream whispering our names
A piece of me died when you did
Your fate was not righteous
You were vibrant in your prime
turned to ashes and barren 2-by-4s
soot engulfing blown-out windows
like mascara after a tragedy
Don’t weep dear corner store
I know its unbearable knowing
your life ended hastily
to an abandoned vanilla bean candle
Those BMX bikers were kicking up dust
But the blockade ahead meant they had to have trust
The little green guy with a face like a sprout
Would come up with something to help them all out
The soldiers in Jeep’s that were blocking the road
Studied their sergeant who grinned as he strode
His carbine was loaded and held firm and steady
Hey kids, you've run out of road... already
The kids saw that soon they’d have no road at all
For first there were Jeeps... then a twenty foot wall
Their wrinkled up friend better do something good
As each of them peddled as fast as they could
The soldiers could see that those bikes they weren't slowing
Those bikes were still coming... but wouldn't be going
Machine carbines raised at the oncoming children
No soldier was sure they’d be able to kill them
Faster and faster those pedals were spinning
The little green alien just sat there grinning
And then they soared over those Jeeps, that’s not all
Those kids all got splatted against that brick wall
*
[and then Mr Spielberg responded in person
I think I just might film a different version]
Walking up the hill
Head on straight
Strapping on gloves
Sitting on the gate
Clipping in the petals
locking up the brakes
leaning
standing
sweating
shaking
waiting
and then
Slam
Fossil on the floor…
On his BMX he’d roar
Free style dinosaur
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