I see the number 158, and I smile
it was the store number of my favorite manager
Once upon a time I was the bookkeeper for ten Super Valu Stores
He was my favorite, because I used to work for him when I was sixteen.
He is gone now, but when I see the number, I think of him and smile.
He died really young, at forty-two, which I thought was old then.
A pink cardinal flies down into my car’s view as I drive up my hill.
It’s a cheery hello from my mother. She had a tablecloth with pink cardinals.
I would have loved to have had it, but my sister took it right off.
My sister had taken care of my mother in the end, so I said nothing.
Glad one of us got it.
The dogs are barking at the woods when I stop the car.
For one second, I see my daddy.
He is usually seen in a blip out the corner of an eye.
He has supposedly been gone for thirteen years.
When I put my coat into my closet I reach for Daddy's’ plaid jacket.
It still smells like him.
I say “Hi, Daddy.”
I feel him here.
"The Bookkeeper"
what guides the mind,
that guides the hand,
of those stories
that are written
and delivered?
they are already set
in the Other's
firmament.
the numbers
of time
in a heart
marked singular,
and transparent,
the soul’s promises
kept and unkept
in contract,
the foregone
conclusions
for page turning
calculating prophets,
pure and impure
the many
gains and losses
in the Other's
assumed absence;
in rhythm and rhyme
all the ways to go -
were laid
in a book,
embedded,
for you long ago -
the choice was yours,
the gift freely given,
the freedom opened,
the Love
drawn
automatic
seen in the mirror's
reflection
Entry,
your token.
all your stories
read,
all your stories
ghost written.
Candide Diderot. ‘24
What is that creature who lingers on the ’49 Ford? Asked Boss Hog.
We looked but were not sure until we saw the sniffing junk yard dog.
The red car with rust? The bookkeeper asked, wondering too.
Oh, yes, said Boss Hog. Is that a Faerie from the ocean blue?
I can go ask her I offered, but she flittered fast and away.
So I did not get to find out on that lovely October Monday.
It was a faerie, the junk yard dog said. I saw her filigree wings.
I thought it amazing that he could not only talk, but he sings!
Don’t tell Donna that Ted said that Marty
was…..
If I had a dollar for every time I heard some version
of this ridiculousness today, I would not have to
come to work with these gossip mongers.
Ring. Ring. It is Linda, the bookkeeper at the next desk.
She cannot turn and talk to me, because she is
telling tales about Sheila who sits less than ten feet
behind us.
I laugh politely at the end of the tale, hoping
she will let me get back to my bill-paying. But no,
she now has a story about Jacque.
Off the phone I write two checks. Brring Brring
The supervisor glares at me. We are supposed
to get the phone after the first ring. It might be
one of our vendors or our stores. We pay bills
for a chain of stores.
I grab the phone. It is Jacque, who is telling me
stories about Linda. None of them nice ones.
They both want to sit with me at lunch, but not
with the other one at the table. I slink out with
my lunch and eat in my car again, third week in
a row.
The supervisor comes out and raps on my window.
I roll it down about an inch.
"You are not supposed to eat in your car," he tells me.
“Bookkeeper” is the only word in the english language
That has three consecutive double letters
So the next time you're at a party and ask this question
You'll be crowned “Best Trivia Player” ever!
Did you know there are as many chickens on earth
As the number of human beings
This one blew my mind and will surely blow yours
Each day, 75 acres of pizza are eaten
Our eyes are the same size as the day we are born
But our nose and ears don't stop growing
Bet you've never heard about this amazing fact
Under black light, a cat's urine is glowing
A healthy, individual laughs about five times a day
Did you know, “bananas grow pointing up!”
I've heard that bamboo can grows three feet a day
Never stick bamboo up your nose or your butt
The Statue of Liberty's fingers are eight feet long
That's quite amazing for picking her nose
Imagine the size of her ginormous large nostrils
Could probably drive a truck in there if you chose
Did you know that humans average 4,800 words a day
My mother-in-law can beat that no problem
During a full moon, she can speak two words at a time
Some days three but that's not quite as common
Amazing stuff!!!
If you look at Stephen Foster,
who wrote songs for the minstrel shows,
you wouldn’t expect a genius
that all of the world would know.
He was another bookkeeper
for a steamship company,
until he started writing tunes
that to this day sound masterly.
Today those same minstrel shows
seem quite insulting to good minds,
they weren’t exactly ‘High Culture’
way back in Foster’s time,
but the man wrote Old Susanna,
and My Old Kentucky Home,
the Swanee River, Camptown Races,
and Hard Times Come Again No More.
Even Beautiful Dreamer,
and Genie With The Light Brown Hair,
the amount of hits this man wrote
can drive musicians to despair.
From throw-away entertainment
that never got a second look,
this man alone wrote the core of
The Great American Songbook.
That he still remains relevant,
even known at this late date,
show that we never can predict
who exactly will be great.
My heart is ready to tell me something.
It is up to me to glean what it is.
I wander into the bathroom,
And then the tick-tock of the kitchen.
Knowing my truth more than any other time of day.
It is always at exactly three a.m.
The only other time of day I notice is 5:38 p.m.
Because that was my friend Stan's store number.
I was a bookkeeper for sixteen stores, and Stan was a favorite
Manager for me. I had worked for him when I was a teenager.
He was the nicest man, going broke, could never pay his bills.
I was sorry for him, as his bookkeeper.
He was lovely, always promising to pay,
Even though we both knew he could not.
He died so young - age 42, of a heart attack.
The world's nicest man, father of three, dead at 42.
Three a.m. always reminds me of those who have past over.
Wonderful people like my friend Duno and Stan.
Three a.m. is my favorite time of day, reminding me of
Duno also, who laughed and chuckled in spite of cancer killing her.
Three a.m. is my daily wake up time for memories.
To remember people who made a difference in my life here.
Angels who are still with me now. Loving me from heaven.
Three a.m. I look forward to her daily.
“Bookkeeper” is the only word in the English language
That has three consecutive double letters
So the next time you're at a party and ask this question
You'll be crowned “Best Trivia Player” ever!
Did you know there are as many chickens on earth
As the number of human beings
This one blew my mind and will surely blow yours
Each day, 75 acres of pizza are eaten
Our eyes are the same size as the day we are born
But our nose and ears don't stop growing
Bet you've never heard about this amazing fact
Under black light, a cat's urine is glowing
A healthy, individual laughs about five times a day
Did you know, “bananas grow pointing up!”
I've heard that bamboo can grows three feet a day
Never stick bamboo up your nose or your butt
The Statue of Liberty's fingers are eight feet long
That's quite amazing for picking her nose
Imagine the size of her ginormous large nostrils
Could probably drive a truck in there if you chose
Did you know that humans average 4,800 words a day
My mother-in-law can beat that no problem
During a full moon, she can speak two words at a time
Some days three but that's not quite as common
Amazing stuff!!!
Started out in a bank as a bookkeeper and teller
Pen and ink was used to enter in the daily ledger
Ballpoints weren't around
Their secret wasn't found
Till a few years later, it became a top seller
WHAT IS TIME CAPSULE
I am sixteen stealing my father’s cigarettes.
Learning an independent thought is not valued.
Turn the attention spin. This is a kissing game.
Pucker up. This is going to be a disaster.
A smooth whistle, I don’t think he will disapprove
if I drowned until there is a prince saving me.
Hold back all emotion or it will be dark dawn at noon
A whiskey fight because I keep telling people I’m fine.
Truth spin, whose turn to be in charge, give meaning
create order. It’s your turn to shine Stardust.
Humdrum routine bicycle backwards time skips and erases
An old tear heart breaks the weather like rain.
I’m getting too vague. Slow down to specific detail.
They used to call me, evil twin, Medusa, four eyes.
I need something good a new jacket. Bookkeeper
teach me how to live like an open eyed swan.
People tell me I’m not looking or listening. I’m overwhelmed.
Deep sob Let’s celebrate A sunny day
My warts are ugly and I want them to go away.
Let go of that Anger. Don’t get prepared for a scrap so quick.
I’m a young bastard that really likes Bob Dylan.
Adam was an
acceptable accountant
And Eve a bubblingly
bright bookkeeper;
Adam loved the
First-In, First-Out
Accounting (FIFO) system,
While Eve preferred
The Last-In, First-Out
Inventory (LIFO) system;
Together they testified that
Inventoried sweet fruit
should neither
Sits and spoil
nor go to the
Garden wastebasket
Wrongfully.
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