Helix

Zeno went about life as if life was a task to be accomplished. It’s not as if he didn’t notice things, though. He noticed a lot of things and there’s something to be said for noticing a lot, even if you don’t like what you notice. Most people just ignore the unnoticed, and peppermint ornaments sparkle on the tree, because they have been covered with sparkles. Zeno wishes the sparkles would just disappear.

Zeno would like to eat the peppermints. Candy is for the purpose of being eaten, just like some other things. Mostly it should be licked and savored, rather than devoured quickly. Devouring quickly is for other foods, like hot dogs from Costco. Hot dogs from Costco are $1.50 with a soda. Zeno usually gets lemonade. He has seen enough commercials with the fat lady coughing because there is too much carbon dioxide in her blood stream.

You know what looks like candy? Blockish squares on aluminum walls in the tunnel. Zeno shouts “Ka-Ka!” but no birds are nearby. He knows that. All that’s nearby are tons and tons of mindless, aimlessly wandering people who barely know what they’re doing but they wear Lakers t-shirts and they are comfortable with what they believe.

It seems like all the ladies Zeno knew at home had chipped nails and chipped nail polish. They never had time to take care of their nails. Who does? Who cares about nails? He doesn’t. They don’t. Oh but they do. Do not pretend they don’t. Those ladies apply top coats to make sure everything is glistening. You never know what kinds of people you’ll meet every day, even if you don’t evn see ‘em for long. Even if they disappear right out of your life with a damn big carbon footprint glistening away.

Zeno was told not to believe in carbon footprints. He was also told to smile and go along, just as he’s been doing. Zeno would not like to continue just as he’s been. He would rather sidle into some other better Zeno. Zeno had a hermit crab once and watched it molt.

“Mom,” he chortled, when he found it’s dried up carcass, “Helix has gotten crumby.”

He was right. Crumby was the right sort of word. Helix had the same form and everything, but his texture was different.

Zeno would like to molt some time, because he’s crumby. Because the aluminum walls and the peppermints and the carbon and the damn sparkles. Because I told you so.