Fascist Superglue Episode 5
Part One
Part One
So, back from the past present to the tense tense of the present present. It was the near future that bothered me, though. I could not avoid a Decision. I struggled to my feet, adjusted my towel 'n tape and waddled arround to no. 42, next door to mine. No idea why my house is 27 and I have 42 next door and 39 the other side. Do not appear to be any other 20 numbers in the street, although there is a 15. Ideal location for one so deeply lacking Number. Grace opened the front door. She was about to say hello and then saw my towel n' tape situation. "Oh dear," she said worriedly, "has something awful happened?"
I had to get straight to it, I had to get used to people laughing at me or I would never be free.
"I accidentally super-glued my finger and my phone to my ear." I said.
The reason I selected Harry and Grace for the honour of transporting Jingogunner to hospital was that they had very little sense of humour, preoccupied as they were by excessive ideation. Even now, she was clearly not finding anything humourous in my blunt admission of technological failure. She was rapidly scrolling options, possibilites, connections. " I was hoping you might be able to give me a lift down to the hospital."
"Harry has taken the car, he's at Cambridge until Friday." Her phone rang. "Excuse me."
"No, I deliberately metioned Kierkegard, he has the flesh and the bone, whereas the others miss the point, the present is not an alternative concept, it is the blood in our veins, and Camus realises the absurdity in this. Oh please, spare me, either we make a stab at the truth or join the Surrealists in their pit of despair. Yes, that's why I used das Zwischenmenshliche as a chapter title, so the reader is in no doubt. Look, I'm not going to argue with you, Miles, if you want to publish despairing nonsense, go right ahead, but I'm not going to let fear of critics dictate what I actually perceive to be true. In that sense I would have failed to define the experiential and emotional terms of reference for my own existence."
I stood there, feeling my hand slowly becoming numb again. I thought I would wait another couple of paragraphs and then try elsewhere. Then I thought, there was no car here anyway. I was just waiting to be polite, to not just rudely walk away while she was on the phone. But I felt I would be invalidated emotionally if I had to stand there and listen to this for a second longer. I walked. I looked back when I got to the gate and she was still there at the open front door, phone glued to her ear. I must define the references for my own existence, I must boldly move forwards before my blood all drained into my elbow. I've got a few books that Grace and Harry have written, some transcripts of lectures and semninars they've given at various centres of learning. Some of them are quite interesting if you have the time to construct concrete meanings from their abstract refrains, but they are all about what they think about what other people thought about what other people thought.
I had to get straight to it, I had to get used to people laughing at me or I would never be free.
"I accidentally super-glued my finger and my phone to my ear." I said.
The reason I selected Harry and Grace for the honour of transporting Jingogunner to hospital was that they had very little sense of humour, preoccupied as they were by excessive ideation. Even now, she was clearly not finding anything humourous in my blunt admission of technological failure. She was rapidly scrolling options, possibilites, connections. " I was hoping you might be able to give me a lift down to the hospital."
"Harry has taken the car, he's at Cambridge until Friday." Her phone rang. "Excuse me."
"No, I deliberately metioned Kierkegard, he has the flesh and the bone, whereas the others miss the point, the present is not an alternative concept, it is the blood in our veins, and Camus realises the absurdity in this. Oh please, spare me, either we make a stab at the truth or join the Surrealists in their pit of despair. Yes, that's why I used das Zwischenmenshliche as a chapter title, so the reader is in no doubt. Look, I'm not going to argue with you, Miles, if you want to publish despairing nonsense, go right ahead, but I'm not going to let fear of critics dictate what I actually perceive to be true. In that sense I would have failed to define the experiential and emotional terms of reference for my own existence."
I stood there, feeling my hand slowly becoming numb again. I thought I would wait another couple of paragraphs and then try elsewhere. Then I thought, there was no car here anyway. I was just waiting to be polite, to not just rudely walk away while she was on the phone. But I felt I would be invalidated emotionally if I had to stand there and listen to this for a second longer. I walked. I looked back when I got to the gate and she was still there at the open front door, phone glued to her ear. I must define the references for my own existence, I must boldly move forwards before my blood all drained into my elbow. I've got a few books that Grace and Harry have written, some transcripts of lectures and semninars they've given at various centres of learning. Some of them are quite interesting if you have the time to construct concrete meanings from their abstract refrains, but they are all about what they think about what other people thought about what other people thought.
Then I thought of Mahmood Waziri and his wife, Mrs Waziri, at no 47. Mr Waziri had bought the house at No 47 a few years ago, but had then been busted for dealing drugs. His wife and 3 children remained at no 47 while he was in prison. I had often seen Mr Waziri standing outside his houe, at the bottom of his driveway, mobile phone metaphorically, ah, glued to his ear. Sometimes I saw various large cars collecting or returning him. Despite owning the house he did not appear to run a car. I don't think I'd ever seen him when he was not talking on his phone. Once or twice, when I saw him in the village, I'd said, 'Hello, Mr Waziri, lovely drop of rain don't you think!" He only removed the phone from his ear to mutter an irritable "umph" and immediately resume his phone call. I have never seen Mr Waziri smile. Mrs Waziri always walked behind him, clad head to toe in black with only her face showing, like a pale mask on a black rubber dildo. Behind Mrs Waziri, trailed the three little children, the eldest now about 5, I guess. I once found myself in the queue behind Mr Waziri at Tescos (like Walmart, only meaner). Last Christmas, that was. I had a bottle of good quality brandy. " Hello Mr Waziri," I said, "Happy Christmas!" He turned round, looking irritated, on the verge of attacking me. I sensed his loathing and disgust. "You must pop round for a drink!" I said brightly, thinking surely, now come on chaps, not even a wee drop at Yule?I won't tell, promise!In any case, whose going to know? Pop round to mine whenever you fancy a discreet little spot, please do. But he turned his back, didn't answer.
"We're having a little get-together tomorrow afternoon," I 'd said, determined to make contact, get a little gentle integration going. "No alcohol, just tea and nibbles Mrs Jingogunner has made. I'm sure she'd like to meet Mrs Waziri and we could sit in my treehouse and play with the video cam and the editing suite one of my clients lent me. There will be a couple of famous acdemics, full of pithy meaningless abstractions that leave everyone too polite to express their puzzlement, really, you'll love them ah, let me see, there'll be Tom Bonner, the famous writer, you know, he did those stories about a middle eastern family who settle in Hertforshire and he's loaded with really funny jokes." If Mr Waziri's beliefs did not permit relaxing in mixed company for convivial joking, banter, railery and general conversation, over exquisitely prepared snacks and the fine teas of the world, we could all be little boys together and leave the women. I was willing to make the gesture, reach out, hold my social preferences in abeyance. Mrs Jingogunner was as aware as I was of Diversity and the realities of Multiculturalism and its monstrous failure. I had this treehouse with deck chairs, loungers and a big electric heater for winter frolicks. I was helping some engineers write human-friendly instructions for consumer hardware and I think they decided to employ me for the job because they needed a professional idiot. The camera and stuff was terrific, you could make a short video movie and then put it through the suite, make people look fat or paint them blue like Avatar, make them talk-fart and all that. You could put their heads upside down on their shoulders and give them all violins, whith indigo, violet and rose skies, like a moving Miro paining. I felt sure it would help Mr Waziri um, integrate. Not that they allow art where he comes from.
He turned around and stared at me silently for a second or two. His eyes were like opaque black stones. Then he turned back.
"Sorry, Mr Waziri," I said anxiously, "Have I offended you? Just trying to be friendly, you know."
His mobile phone rang. Without turning round he commenced a conversation in, I think, Arabic, just a guess, which lasted all the way through checkout and into the car park where he stood waiting, presumably, for one of his fleet of cars to collect him. Yes, Happy Christmas, Mr Waziri. I concluded, in light of this historical review, that as an unbeliever who partook of Satan's brew, I would not be welcome or likely to recieve help from Mr Waziri. I decided to head for Mary and Tim at N0 40. As I hobbled along, Mr Waziri passed by in a long, black, expensive-looking vehicle. Using my left hand, which I hoped was not culturally significant, I waved until the vehicle was out of sight.
"We're having a little get-together tomorrow afternoon," I 'd said, determined to make contact, get a little gentle integration going. "No alcohol, just tea and nibbles Mrs Jingogunner has made. I'm sure she'd like to meet Mrs Waziri and we could sit in my treehouse and play with the video cam and the editing suite one of my clients lent me. There will be a couple of famous acdemics, full of pithy meaningless abstractions that leave everyone too polite to express their puzzlement, really, you'll love them ah, let me see, there'll be Tom Bonner, the famous writer, you know, he did those stories about a middle eastern family who settle in Hertforshire and he's loaded with really funny jokes." If Mr Waziri's beliefs did not permit relaxing in mixed company for convivial joking, banter, railery and general conversation, over exquisitely prepared snacks and the fine teas of the world, we could all be little boys together and leave the women. I was willing to make the gesture, reach out, hold my social preferences in abeyance. Mrs Jingogunner was as aware as I was of Diversity and the realities of Multiculturalism and its monstrous failure. I had this treehouse with deck chairs, loungers and a big electric heater for winter frolicks. I was helping some engineers write human-friendly instructions for consumer hardware and I think they decided to employ me for the job because they needed a professional idiot. The camera and stuff was terrific, you could make a short video movie and then put it through the suite, make people look fat or paint them blue like Avatar, make them talk-fart and all that. You could put their heads upside down on their shoulders and give them all violins, whith indigo, violet and rose skies, like a moving Miro paining. I felt sure it would help Mr Waziri um, integrate. Not that they allow art where he comes from.
He turned around and stared at me silently for a second or two. His eyes were like opaque black stones. Then he turned back.
"Sorry, Mr Waziri," I said anxiously, "Have I offended you? Just trying to be friendly, you know."
His mobile phone rang. Without turning round he commenced a conversation in, I think, Arabic, just a guess, which lasted all the way through checkout and into the car park where he stood waiting, presumably, for one of his fleet of cars to collect him. Yes, Happy Christmas, Mr Waziri. I concluded, in light of this historical review, that as an unbeliever who partook of Satan's brew, I would not be welcome or likely to recieve help from Mr Waziri. I decided to head for Mary and Tim at N0 40. As I hobbled along, Mr Waziri passed by in a long, black, expensive-looking vehicle. Using my left hand, which I hoped was not culturally significant, I waved until the vehicle was out of sight.
So, getting back to now, (always such a chore, don't you think?) I quit Grace and Harry's driveway and waddled accross to No 40, Mary and Tim. When I got there, they were smoking on their front veranda. Tim was on his phone. Mary got up as I appeared, took the fag out of her mouth and exclaimed "Oh God, are you injured, d'you need an ambulance, Jingogunner?"
"Its OK," I said, "I superglued my phone and my fingers to my ear by mistake."
"Your're not in immediate need of medical help?" Mary had been a nurse but now ran a florist's shop.
"I need to get to hospital so they can unglue me. Everyone is out or doesn't speak to me because I'm such a fascist, homophobic, ignorant, kufar bastard. There are no taxis available for another hour or so at least. I called the hospital but they have spent all their wages money on fighting oil-grab wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and now, North africa. There is no ambulance available unless you are dying, presumably and I read they've cut down on mobile paramedics. I was hoping you could get me down to Ipswich."
"Well we could have, but Tim has a case in Bury soon and he's got to leave like now." She turned to Tim and said stridently, "Tim, you've got to leave now!" Tim got off the phone, glanced at me, said a puzzled hello and bounced down the steps and over to his car. Tim is a lawyer.
Mary was concerned that I should get an ambulance. I explained that I'd spoken to the hospital and they seemed to be struggling and at their limits. I had thought of phoning the Nuffield Hospital or some other private medical money-grubber. Then I thought, no, I'll get there somehow and put the money saved into my emigrate-to-America-plan, where you have to cover your own medical costs but the pay is much higher, unless you're a pilot and work for love of the job.
"Its OK," I said, "I superglued my phone and my fingers to my ear by mistake."
"Your're not in immediate need of medical help?" Mary had been a nurse but now ran a florist's shop.
"I need to get to hospital so they can unglue me. Everyone is out or doesn't speak to me because I'm such a fascist, homophobic, ignorant, kufar bastard. There are no taxis available for another hour or so at least. I called the hospital but they have spent all their wages money on fighting oil-grab wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and now, North africa. There is no ambulance available unless you are dying, presumably and I read they've cut down on mobile paramedics. I was hoping you could get me down to Ipswich."
"Well we could have, but Tim has a case in Bury soon and he's got to leave like now." She turned to Tim and said stridently, "Tim, you've got to leave now!" Tim got off the phone, glanced at me, said a puzzled hello and bounced down the steps and over to his car. Tim is a lawyer.
Mary was concerned that I should get an ambulance. I explained that I'd spoken to the hospital and they seemed to be struggling and at their limits. I had thought of phoning the Nuffield Hospital or some other private medical money-grubber. Then I thought, no, I'll get there somehow and put the money saved into my emigrate-to-America-plan, where you have to cover your own medical costs but the pay is much higher, unless you're a pilot and work for love of the job.
I waddled back to my place, round to the garages and got into the ancient hatchback. My arm was hurting, particularly the fingers. I was irritable and starting to lose Number and Logic of which, in any case, only a standard pack was fitted to this type of aircraft. The local area map was in the right hand pocket, so I had to reach accross my body with my left hand to access it and I had to do this blind because my elbow-sling obscured most of the right hand door panel. I had to lift up the right elbow on the arm whose fingers were stuck to my right ear in order to allow the left hand space to grope for the map. There is no procedure for this in the manual.
I wanted to find the best and quickest route from Framlingham to the Heath Rd Hospital in Ipswich. Being to the west and south of Framlingham proper, I decided to use the A1120 and then the B1077, avoiding the A12, which according to a local news headline I once read, had a Mind of Its Own. A12 Has Mind Of its Own read the headline. I didn't read the prose beneath the headline because I didn't want to spoil it. I had in fact carefully cut it, with a scalpel, from its page, along with the date and the title of the rag, and got Frames Robert in Woodbridge to mount it for me under glass. Frames Robert is used to this, he once mounted a moustache (Mrs Jingounner didn't like it and wanted me to remove it) under glass for me. I won't go into the grounds for Mrs J's objection here, but it will appear later. He has mounted a lovely black and white photograph of a used nappy(diaper), a dead seagul, 3 empty cigarette packets and a sea-scoured plastic bottle of bleach containing a liquid of some sort which is just visible, but which we can guess might not be bleach. There is also a piece of driftwood with a jagged edge and the remainign three leters of a word which we can guess, again, was once Essex but is now reduced, or perhaps promoted, to Sex. It is entitled The Beach at St Osyth. Frames Robert has absolutely no sense of humour either, which is why I always employ him. He has never once displayed any emotion whatever about the stuff he has framed for me. So there was Jingogunner's flightplan: avoid the A12. The B1077 was a winding, lane-type vehicular carriageway designed for 15th century trader's waggons and is ideal for modern, superglue fascist, one-armed hatchback drivers driving 5-speed transmission, manual-shift hatchbacks. Ideal.
Part two of Episode 5 will appear shortly. That will conclude Chapter One of The Facist Superglue of Mr Jingogunner. Chapter Two might follow, depending on public opinion, general comments, complaints or cyberspace factors. The only way to really stop it would be to complain to the Superglue Moderators that its boring your tits off. Remember, you have not yet become acqainted with the Unspeakable Ron, with Naomi Chav Rap and Suffolk Sex Symbol Sally Silling, not to mention the good-looking PC Kate Hamilton who is not a sex symbol but is very sensible and hard-headed. I decided to go back to Times New Roman for the body of my text because its easier to read, the eye is more used to it from newspapers and books. Both silly and serious comments very much appreciated. Stay Tuned!
Part two of Episode 5 will appear shortly. That will conclude Chapter One of The Facist Superglue of Mr Jingogunner. Chapter Two might follow, depending on public opinion, general comments, complaints or cyberspace factors. The only way to really stop it would be to complain to the Superglue Moderators that its boring your tits off. Remember, you have not yet become acqainted with the Unspeakable Ron, with Naomi Chav Rap and Suffolk Sex Symbol Sally Silling, not to mention the good-looking PC Kate Hamilton who is not a sex symbol but is very sensible and hard-headed. I decided to go back to Times New Roman for the body of my text because its easier to read, the eye is more used to it from newspapers and books. Both silly and serious comments very much appreciated. Stay Tuned!
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