*Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 *
Subject: glimpses
From: berto_alto@tank20.com
To: You
Dear You,
Trying to Start on an “Up” Note
You shoulda seen the
huge eerie gorgeous
triangular herds of birds
ricocheting around the narrow valley
rippling and squawking and shitting
this morning.
(I’m trying to start on an “Up” Note
before the whining begins in earnest)
There are more birds now
than in the future
I’m sure of it
Lucky birds —-
high enough to see
the food-filled flatlands
My Ad
It cracks me up
that when you reply to me
your e-mail contains ads!!!
Here’s my ad!
Bouncing Merrily
After the All-Company Meeting
all day my mood was like the stuff
on the pack mule in front of me . . .
. . . gradually gradually gradually
sagging
until some bag of pancake batter
or box of ammunition
goes bouncing merrily down the creekbank
and the whole company stops
and swears
and loosens all the ropes
and tries to jam everything up high on the mule again
I got into an utter depressing
“What am I doing with my life?!”
by mid afternoon
The Gang Crossing a Creek
Flip Out
One of the sweet Heavy Metal
Goth Rock Kids
flipped out today
They sent him to me
(like they often do}
And Skip handed him the reins
and let him walk beside me
while I rode Nastibelle
The Idiotic Protocol back here
requires that Knights ride
and Squires & Grooms walk
(I’m playing Knight this month)
. . . when the natural thing
would have been to let the kid ride
he was sobbing and hyperventilating
it was terrible
So I listened and tried gingerly
to figure out what was up
Turns out it’s his sister’s birthday
and he’s guilty he couldn’t send her anything
They were basically orphans together
. . . anway, we patched him up
and wrote her a funny poem
that he sent tonight already on this laptop
Our Story So Far
. . . so’s you can understand the impact
of the bombshell Regine dropped today . . .
1) All last Spring and Summer
we shuffled up and down the Po Valley
between Greater Venice and Greater Milan
looking cool,
negotiating double deals,
and trying our damndest not get into a fight.
Meetings, meetings, meetings!
2) By Autumn when we finally inked a contract
with the Viscontis of Milan
it was the end of the fightin’ season!
Time to pack up the weapons and
go to Winter Camp! Woo hoo!
3) Winter Camp in Switzerland:
working out, sleeping, drinking, telling stories
Did I mention being bored out of our minds?
4) Then they told us the only thing
we’d have to do
before going Home
is make a ceremonial appearance
at this big Visconti Wedding Party in Milan
at the beginning of June
Co-Ed Pee Break
on the Trail
(we’re way beyond modesty)
Skip Hovering for the Laptop
Skip is next in line to use this laptop
I can see him glaring with theatrical impatience
out of the corner of my eye
But I when I look over
his face softens and he looks at the tent-roof sweetly
by candlelight
now he’s saying mock-sarcastically:
“What? What? Why are you staring at me?
Take all the time you want!”
so I’ve gotta hurry
Company Meeting: The New Business Plan
An All-Company Meeting is never a good thing.
After breakfast Regine announces that there’s a
“reason”
we’re going to the Visconti Wedding in Milan
(I knew there was something strange about it, god damn it!)
The corporation wants her to go
meet with an English General Contractor
the man they call Sir John Hawkwood
and fucking try to sign on with his army
and actually go campaign for Milan for a while!!!
They told us Hawkwood was our enemy!
They switch sides so often back here
it makes your head spin!
Just like Afghanistan.
They told us we wouldn’t have to fight!
We all thought we were home free.
Enough About Me
So sorry to read that you had to work
late again.
Did you make it to yoga?
Tell your supervisor they’d better
hire a replacement for what’s-her-face
Tell ‘em you can’t be expected to carry
the whole team on your back!!!
Are you wearing your wrist braces, my friend?
Are you taking care of your computer-sore hands?
Are you switching your mouse from the left side
to the right side and back?
Here’s the view
. . . of the gorgeous Italian landscape
I had today
But, Hey, What Am I Worried About?
The worst that could happen is that we get bought
by another company . . . we’d have to change
banners and logos
big “boo hoo”
Look deep into History
and you will find
yours truly,
Bert Hault