Sunday, February 10, 2013
A History of Facial Listening
After marrying the most intellectual woman in
Ryer’s Falls, day-dreamy Hillis got lectured.
He frequently lost the thread
but survived with judicious nods and uh huhs.
Mostly. When she demanded more, he swung
the hammer but it floated by the nail.
Many years later, Plumber Okay Marris told
live-in, Mizbeth, “Sit on the toilet in that
new bathroom when they’re out somewheres
and the pipes still speak in sentences.”
She answered the way she did to everything.
“And the farmer took another load away!”
Whatever resonances Ruthie imparted
to inanimate appliances dissipated af-
ter her shocking heart attack and death.
Eventually, Hillis stayed at the Holiday Inn, let-
ling Bill Radis of Radis Reality unload the place.
A bit of haunting had indeed occurred
as Hillis remembered her final words:
“You haven’t listened to a thing
in all these years.”
“I drifted through college,” he told her,
“You educated me.”
Now in Boca, he doesn’t have to say much:
Big Noises from Winnetka tromboning daily.
But he’s missed one morning three
years later as regular, bemused
witness at the association’s bocci game.
Player Lou Onofrio pounds on his door,
and then gets Manager Ricardo to open it.
EM tech P. Wells will tell apprentice
Jilly, “You see that face? Its
vacancy? Second case I’ve been at.
He vagued himself to death!”
Jilly will laugh “That’s not a diagnosis
according to my textbook, though
the boyfriend’s heading there with
whatever wrong drug of the week.
He’s stony-eyed and vaguely discontented--
like our victim. (Her father continuously quo-
ted old songs.) So...what the hell! Rest
in Peace, Mr Hillis Whatsyourface!”
After marrying the most intellectual woman in
Ryer’s Falls, day-dreamy Hillis got lectured.
He frequently lost the thread
but survived with judicious nods and uh huhs.
Mostly. When she demanded more, he swung
the hammer but it floated by the nail.
Many years later, Plumber Okay Marris told
live-in, Mizbeth, “Sit on the toilet in that
new bathroom when they’re out somewheres
and the pipes still speak in sentences.”
She answered the way she did to everything.
“And the farmer took another load away!”
Whatever resonances Ruthie imparted
to inanimate appliances dissipated af-
ter her shocking heart attack and death.
Eventually, Hillis stayed at the Holiday Inn, let-
ling Bill Radis of Radis Reality unload the place.
A bit of haunting had indeed occurred
as Hillis remembered her final words:
“You haven’t listened to a thing
in all these years.”
“I drifted through college,” he told her,
“You educated me.”
Now in Boca, he doesn’t have to say much:
Big Noises from Winnetka tromboning daily.
But he’s missed one morning three
years later as regular, bemused
witness at the association’s bocci game.
Player Lou Onofrio pounds on his door,
and then gets Manager Ricardo to open it.
EM tech P. Wells will tell apprentice
Jilly, “You see that face? Its
vacancy? Second case I’ve been at.
He vagued himself to death!”
Jilly will laugh “That’s not a diagnosis
according to my textbook, though
the boyfriend’s heading there with
whatever wrong drug of the week.
He’s stony-eyed and vaguely discontented--
like our victim. (Her father continuously quo-
ted old songs.) So...what the hell! Rest
in Peace, Mr Hillis Whatsyourface!”
Labels: Boca Raton, intellectual, marriage, retirement, talkative, vague
