Domestic Interior

Not Too Serious

NotToo Serious The dead poet started speaking to me, Giving me funny lines to use in my writing. The voice would say, no! no! when I tried to get too serious. He liked me to stay light. I then had the opportunity to meet Mr. Griffin who had written a significant monograph on the dead poet’s lines. I made my symbolic ablutions, Reviewed my notes for the test, and met Mr. Griffin at the dead poet’s request. But the dead poet had also spoken to Mr. Griffin and told him this:“She is an opportunist.” I wondered why he had bothered to bring us together at all, if he would say that! “I suppose he is a playful spirit and playful is not always kind or sincere, no?” I said to Mr. Griffin, Mr. SnidelyWhiplash. But soon enough the spirit got annoyed with me because I spent a long year hand-wringing, wet-blanketing, crying, and acting hysterical. A year passes. “Lighten up, you loser!” he said, whenever I tried to resume our conversation. When I asked him to come back, he did not reply. I wanted more funny lines! Three years pass. One night, walking among the lights of Christmas cheer, I saw a man in a gorilla suit playing a valve trombone, all alone, in front of a multiplex. It was a wet, mildewy, ocean night. He wasn’t asking for money, just playing. 50 “Dead poet, look at that!” I called, hoping to impress him with the world I noticed— but he was already gossiping about me to Mr. Griffin And another year turned around. 51 ...