Day 75

6/11/2007

  (elevator door closing)

"Going up..."

  (question in Russian)

"Uh, excuse me but, uh, my friend would like to know how much
you enjoy our city so far"

"Actually, I haven't been here too long..."

  (translating back in French)

  (another question in Russian)

"He wants to know 'yes' or 'no'"

"Well, tell him yes." (louder) "It's a beautiful city"

  (talking in Russian)

"He says he can shout, don't hear you."

  (pause)

"Have you, uh, seen the Palace?"

"No, not yet, but I certainly intend..."

"Oh, you must, you must. It won't be here much longer, you know,
they are cleaning it."

  (pause)

  (question in Russian)

"Are you alone?"

"Yes"

"No... we are here with you."

"Oh, I see what you mean, uh, no."

"Yes. How many are we?"

"Here? Three."

"You don't want to count the elevator boy?"

"Yeah..."

"Three or four?"

"Four..."

"But, of course there's your family."

"But they're not travelling with me."

"Where?"

"Where I'm going."

"But you're here... how many?"

"Four... with the elevator boy"

"Ah, he is in your family."

"No, here."

  (elevator door opens)

"And here we are."

-- Firesign Theatre, Waiting for the Electrician or Someone Like Him

No matter where you go... there you are.

-- Old proverb/bumper sticker

In wandering by vagary or whimsistic trail,
To hither place I solace find on the lam from my decline.
Position is only a shot that echos from my landed shoe
(Down below the leg, I see),
As if to say: "I am here and nowhere other.
All others be elsewhere; elsewhere be not here."

I have these thoughts made Decadent
By ricochet of message meant.

I find myself at a place called "here".
With mocking keyboard, très harsh screen.
Dribbling crusty blog-crumbs down
Perhaps to find my way again
Ere time-toll's Pac-Man blots and clears
The dome of this sentienteer.

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