Indeed

He wondered without worry, without doubt, for his efforts were fruitful, his love was latently lurid and lugubrious despite the fierce wanton the world around him, in the carnage of that contrast, had reminded him of. Recollections of ostentatious shortcomings plagued his brain as grey-blue birds plummeted and zipped to the left of the horizon—disappearing in strident, swarming, intertwining shapes that spelled out the words he longed to hear…as the backdrop of explosive, gargantuan popcorn-shaped clouds hovered silently like floating giants with fiery bellies, for hot-oranges, reds, magenta, and yellow lightning shaped lining spread from underneath them. Twirling ensued and his right elbow patch flapped open, and candy of all colors fell from his pockets and bounced and rolled quickly under the park benches where women sat unaware as their heads fixed firmly at their cell phone screens and their fingers swiped incessantly. Ardent tears unleashed, clearing a dirty countenance with thin zigzagging trails, and the laughter began as a sob, then quickly became a cackle.

 

“That guy has fucking problems.”

”Jesus, Amber, must you?”

”What? I’m serious, I mean, look at him.”

”He seems fine to me.”

”Fine?! The guy clearly has issues.”

“Leave the poor fucker alone.”

 

And as the birds returned, chasing one another with strident song, the weeping man looked up at the sky and smiled as snot oozed slowly over his dirty lips and said, “I am free. I am as happy as can be. No dire need. No pain to feed….indeed…indeed…indeed.”

∞