Saturday, September 10, 2011

Write in the Park Exercise---My Burpee

 

Puffy Leads the Way

Puffy pulled on the leash. The cord reeled out as he nosed his way into a small patch of grass in front of St Nicholas cathedral. A whiff of golden light glinted into my eye. I pulled Puffy away from a purple Rhododendron he was gleefully pissing on. I walked up the stairs of the porch to examine the image nailed above the door. A wizened black bearded man in a funny hat was framed out in gold. He had penetrating eyes. He looked like he’d be more comfortable in the halls of power at a byzantine palace than on the front of this church.

Puffy strained on the leash urging me onward. Two blocks south Puffy entered into another yard. A lopsided spinning object fascinated him. Wide wings wound lazily round and round around a black and white tuxedo painted on an old board.

Fred came out of his house. He cradled a floral mug of Folgers in his hands. The steam that wafted out of the cup smelled like a Denny’s at four AM. As he talked to Puffy in soothing tones, I watched his wife in the upstairs window smoothing out a purple polka-dotted dress over plump curves.

Puffy yanked hard on the leash. He lifted his twitching nose high in the air. He was ready to forge on. Puffy led the way up to Union and then over to Spring Street. On the corner there was a small patch of browning grass, a picnic table, and a swing set. A beagle played tag with his tail unfettered by his leash. His lady stood watching talking on the Bluetooth. She folded her arms into a tight scowl across her breasts.

I let Puffy go. He ran to the beagle and squared off. They exchanged sniffing greetings. The lady stopped talking. I approached cautiously. She fisted a blue doggie bag. One end flapped around in the morning breeze. I croaked out a nervous hi.




Purple Mark and Priya Keefe conducted the aerobics at the park today. I attended via Shannon Kringen's telephone. The exercise was to use descriptive language to describe things without mentioning them. My targets were dog park, a penguin whirligig, and a photograph. Other attendees were Philip and Carla. They all read their pieces to me over the phone.

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