Can anyone break a window
fiction
edward w pritchard
In my youth I heard a wise person say philosophically "anyone can break a window" suggesting in an unspoken manner "that only a master craftsman could create a window". I recall that then this thought silenced and impressed me.
Upon reflection now however, nearly a half century later I have a perhaps different view of the matter.
We are surrounded and imprisoned by the invisible fragile windows of civilization and habit. Other than malicious boys, soon to be properly civilized, no one heaves a rock through a window of the court house, IRS office, or property tax division as a voiceless commentary on the present state of things as they are.
Is the glass half full or in need of being broken? Someday should I meet a philosopher we shall ask.
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Friday, June 28, 2019
how the west was won
how the west was won
fiction
edward w pritchard
Two hundred yards behind the house where I stay two or three lots come together that are overgrown
with briar sticker bushes, misshapen ten foot weedy trees and assorted old bricks and junk. Last year a ground hog lived back there but for the past year gradually I have been going back there taming the area with my partner my three and a half year old grandson who I watch during the week that I have been teaching to be a boy in the Native American Indian sense of the word boy as a young man enjoying nature and the World around himself. The area in the back yard we have been working on, my grandson and me, is about one hundred yards from Long Lake of the Portage Lake system which in all probability back in 1725 had a small Indian village on the very spot where we hatchet and rake.
Yesterday I taught the boy how to use a shovel, to clip sharp briar strands and to rake and shovel. He picked raspberries in the very hot sun while I ran the mower over the near finished area. The plan is to put a couple of folding chairs back there and a small tent to watch the stars and meteors from at night. It's a snug and safe little area but we will keep the rake and shovel around for protection and security.
When I was young like my grandson if I had been abducted by Indians and taken to their village I would have been the boy who kicked and screamed when it was time to return to civilization. Before the little guy starts to attend school and learns to use a computerized cell phone I hope we can watch the shooting stars at night by our fire in our little annexed area just West of the Portage Lakes once
a prime hunting and fishing area for Native Americans. It will be a nice end to my life and a good start to his.
fiction
edward w pritchard
Two hundred yards behind the house where I stay two or three lots come together that are overgrown
with briar sticker bushes, misshapen ten foot weedy trees and assorted old bricks and junk. Last year a ground hog lived back there but for the past year gradually I have been going back there taming the area with my partner my three and a half year old grandson who I watch during the week that I have been teaching to be a boy in the Native American Indian sense of the word boy as a young man enjoying nature and the World around himself. The area in the back yard we have been working on, my grandson and me, is about one hundred yards from Long Lake of the Portage Lake system which in all probability back in 1725 had a small Indian village on the very spot where we hatchet and rake.
Yesterday I taught the boy how to use a shovel, to clip sharp briar strands and to rake and shovel. He picked raspberries in the very hot sun while I ran the mower over the near finished area. The plan is to put a couple of folding chairs back there and a small tent to watch the stars and meteors from at night. It's a snug and safe little area but we will keep the rake and shovel around for protection and security.
When I was young like my grandson if I had been abducted by Indians and taken to their village I would have been the boy who kicked and screamed when it was time to return to civilization. Before the little guy starts to attend school and learns to use a computerized cell phone I hope we can watch the shooting stars at night by our fire in our little annexed area just West of the Portage Lakes once
a prime hunting and fishing area for Native Americans. It will be a nice end to my life and a good start to his.
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
at the brink again and again
at the brink again and again
fiction
edward w pritchard
Again we are at the brink again and again. Again we have enemies faraway we are supposed to hate. Like good Puritans our elected officials are finding secret enemies distant from our shores for us to hate and fear to distract us from our problems. Like good Puritans tolerance is low and obtrusiveness is high; high enough to lead to deadly air strikes and war maneuvers somewhere in a distant hot zone.
I have nothing against the Iranians. They are an ancient culture who subscribe to different philosophies than us. Leave them alone. Unless attacked pursue diplomatic solutions to avoid foreign entanglements.
My enemies are close to home. Several departments of government routinely cause me grief unnecessarily. Naive of me, who thought we were supposed to be the good guys.
fiction
edward w pritchard
Again we are at the brink again and again. Again we have enemies faraway we are supposed to hate. Like good Puritans our elected officials are finding secret enemies distant from our shores for us to hate and fear to distract us from our problems. Like good Puritans tolerance is low and obtrusiveness is high; high enough to lead to deadly air strikes and war maneuvers somewhere in a distant hot zone.
I have nothing against the Iranians. They are an ancient culture who subscribe to different philosophies than us. Leave them alone. Unless attacked pursue diplomatic solutions to avoid foreign entanglements.
My enemies are close to home. Several departments of government routinely cause me grief unnecessarily. Naive of me, who thought we were supposed to be the good guys.
Monday, June 17, 2019
what we miss most about Earth from deep space
what we miss most from deep space
fiction
edward w pritchard
In no particular order here's what I miss most about my Home planet Earth from deep space.
There are no rain and lightening and rolling thunder storms in deep space. The sound of continuous falling rain drumming on the ground is just not the same when simulated by one of our space side
computer generated relaxation sessions.
One never encounters a deer chewing on a leaf gazing thoughtfully forward in a still woods while in deep space.
Lastly these women here on the spaceship are always furtively gazing at their cellphone for secret messages here on the spaceship while we are in deep space. Wasn't it so much the better when they were interested in us and the spacious present rather than nefarious hidden rendezvouses?
fiction
edward w pritchard
In no particular order here's what I miss most about my Home planet Earth from deep space.
There are no rain and lightening and rolling thunder storms in deep space. The sound of continuous falling rain drumming on the ground is just not the same when simulated by one of our space side
computer generated relaxation sessions.
One never encounters a deer chewing on a leaf gazing thoughtfully forward in a still woods while in deep space.
Lastly these women here on the spaceship are always furtively gazing at their cellphone for secret messages here on the spaceship while we are in deep space. Wasn't it so much the better when they were interested in us and the spacious present rather than nefarious hidden rendezvouses?
Saturday, June 15, 2019
stand straight stand still
stand straight stand still
fiction
edward w pritchard
Don't we enjoy looking at old West pictures of cowboys, Indians and famous gun toting murderers.
Stand straight, stand still they were all told by the famous photographers.
Forty thousand buffalo hides piled up for loading on the railroad, no pre-picture instructions necessary.
A squaw with a baby bundled in a cradle board looking morose somewhere on the ancient Apache hunting grounds. Soldiers on horseback in background stare at ground.
Thirsty, dusty Cowboys herds cattle for shipment by railroad to Chicago.
Nameless dance hall girl in a new red dress before she married, had six children, and worked a farm for forty years near Deadwood.
Little four year old boy, smiling because he got a new hat, 1898 Wyoming.
Old West pictures-look at the silence.
fiction
edward w pritchard
Don't we enjoy looking at old West pictures of cowboys, Indians and famous gun toting murderers.
Stand straight, stand still they were all told by the famous photographers.
Forty thousand buffalo hides piled up for loading on the railroad, no pre-picture instructions necessary.
A squaw with a baby bundled in a cradle board looking morose somewhere on the ancient Apache hunting grounds. Soldiers on horseback in background stare at ground.
Thirsty, dusty Cowboys herds cattle for shipment by railroad to Chicago.
Nameless dance hall girl in a new red dress before she married, had six children, and worked a farm for forty years near Deadwood.
Little four year old boy, smiling because he got a new hat, 1898 Wyoming.
Old West pictures-look at the silence.
Thursday, June 6, 2019
bargaining with the devil
bargaining with the devil
fiction
edward w pritchard
Wanting to raise a little quick cash to withstand the up coming financial storms on wall street I searched out and did beseech the Devil to buy my soul.The Devil looked at me with those intriguing black eyes saying he didn't understand the leviathan american economy and said he was laying low for a while. So for him business was temporarily on hold, until the slowdown was over and things picked up again.
Then he said "it starts next week".
" What should I do to withstand the gales to come." I ventured
"Pay the Doctor and check out of the big Hotel early he said",then whispered "before you go".
and I pleaded, help us
"You and the others are inconsequential" he said." the IRS doesn't mean to worry you" "just pay the Doctor before you go".
fiction
edward w pritchard
Wanting to raise a little quick cash to withstand the up coming financial storms on wall street I searched out and did beseech the Devil to buy my soul.The Devil looked at me with those intriguing black eyes saying he didn't understand the leviathan american economy and said he was laying low for a while. So for him business was temporarily on hold, until the slowdown was over and things picked up again.
Then he said "it starts next week".
" What should I do to withstand the gales to come." I ventured
"Pay the Doctor and check out of the big Hotel early he said",then whispered "before you go".
and I pleaded, help us
"You and the others are inconsequential" he said." the IRS doesn't mean to worry you" "just pay the Doctor before you go".
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
red sky in the morning
red sky in the morning
fiction
edward w pritchard
I enjoy the thrill of an ominous red sky in the morning harbinger of howling winds and thunderous rains.
Never, I hope, will storms be decoded to numerical predictions of banality by newscasters using mathematical formula's on the television to foretell natures upcoming fury.
Like a small lemur, our ancient ancestor, in my cave I wait for the hard and furious upcoming storm.
Blow winds blow.
fiction
edward w pritchard
I enjoy the thrill of an ominous red sky in the morning harbinger of howling winds and thunderous rains.
Never, I hope, will storms be decoded to numerical predictions of banality by newscasters using mathematical formula's on the television to foretell natures upcoming fury.
Like a small lemur, our ancient ancestor, in my cave I wait for the hard and furious upcoming storm.
Blow winds blow.
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