sure of themselves

sure of themselves

fiction
edward w pritchard

Perhaps it was G Bernard Shaw who said "they were as sure of themselves as boys who were confident of their next meal"or maybe Dickens. Shaw had a long white beard when he died and like Dickens had a lot to say about everything.

This younger generation sure is sure of themselves about everything. Someday their gonna be rich; their 401 K goes up everyday. They can walk and be mesmerized by their self phone at the same time, they don't care a lick about the history of ancient Assyria, and they would rather live together than get married-even the girls.

Once in a while one of them will hold the door for me at the convenience store and call me sir. I don't have a long white beard.

do this

do this

fiction
edward w pritchard

Let's get rid of republicans and democrats
split up all the money between us
and march off after to our graves
leaving the mess to the grandchildren
to fix with help from the thinking machines
or start over without cursing
wondering where the buffalo have gone
listening to vanishing train whistles in the dark night of the soul

but now when I write about it

but now when I write about it

fiction
edward w pritchard

Once I heard the voice of an angel in modesty sung in whisper
the words are forgotten
vanished on the wind
as angels are extinct
never real
but now when I write about it
would that echo is real

the fix is on

the fix is on

fiction
edward w pritchard


It's so crowded here in our near future and everyone and their vehicle is monitored all the time as to their personal habits, leisure activities and personal coordinates by the economic police state for the purpose of imposing fines and owed restitution's. As example there are 229 misdemeanors for carnal activities here in the new Rome which is the state you once called Ohio of the United States which is now one of  600 mega towns here in the Western Hemisphere which was previously known as Canada, the good old USA and Mexico. Girl do I miss the authentic food of old Mexico.

Downtown on a steamy Friday night at the Bar and grille formerly known as Tangiers I am fighting my way through a long long series of twisting dark hall ways and corridors to reserved table 1689
where I have an appointment to make a little extra dinero sitting in on a fixed session of scratching off State lottery tickets. A guy called Louie is my contact. First though I have to squeeze my way about these ladies of the night dressed in their skin tight frocks as I shove my way to my seat. These purple gloves I wear for eleven more days identify me as someone who put my hands on some young miss in another dark hall way a few months ago on another steamy Friday night and I am paying  the fines and lawyer fees still for breaking carnal activity 71.

My biggest fear tonight is the Medical cops. They nail you randomly and check that you have all your life extending medical tests up to date and they get a commission if you get fined for a health and wellness omission or violation.

Louie is talking very fast and I listen carefully and write neatly as I over and over jot down the magic numbers-new Rome,  drawing 1207755, 6-73-44-11-66-77-80-5-6-22-47,booster x 10. Someone's personal  identity monitoring system is beeping over and over somewhere off in the dark night and a muffled grin fills the smokey cafe.