It was the fourth of July,

and instead of waking up to the smell of barbecue, I woke up to the insistent pestering of my mother. " Tuc ya dee! We're going to the flea market!" What the fuck? The flea market? We haven't been there in ages. I asked," Do I have time to shower?" and she promptly said, "No, shower later," and left. I grabbed jeans off the floor and a shirt from the closet, jumbled them together on my body, brushed my teeth, and walked downstairs and through the garage door. I eased into my dirty white converse as I peered around for any hint, sign, or clue of my dad's whereabouts. He's usually the first one outside and today I thought I might've beaten him. I was wrong. I heard the side gate clank as my dad walked out, a blue metal stroller trailing behind him. He beeped the car as I opened the trunk to help him load up the stroller. I then grabbed four water bottles and dropped them into the front of the car. My brother, sister, then mother came out afterwards and we were off. When we got there, it was a slow beginning, like always, but I quickly found what my heart was searching for. Through the endless rows of electronics, I found an antique alarm clock that also doubled as an am/fm radio. The clock was analog. I fell in love. I quickly discussed between my brother and sister, and then asked the lady, "how much?" "Five," she said. I bargained for four and a minute later I was walking away with a plastic bag with my 'brand new' clock/radio. It seemed as if I were on a treasure-finding-roll, because about twenty minutes later, I struck gold again when I found an old 80's-looking boombox made by Sanyo. I was instantly hooked and quickly turned to inquire its worth when I was beat to it by a "Ocho dolares," that came out of the man's mouth. I quickly declined and replied with, "five." He took the bait and in the end I had a boombox and alarm clock. Oh, how lucky I am. My luck turned even better when I arrived home to find both of my treasures working! I gave a victory screech and pranced around the house while music played from the Sanyo boombox. It felt like love.

Stop all the clocks,

cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead.

-W.H. Auden


Michael Jackson, The King of Pop.
6/26/09

So Yesterday,

was an okay day I guess. I don't remember what happened though, now that I..oh wait...hmm...yesterday..oh yeah, so yesterday I just stayed home for the most par..oh fuck! Dude, so yesterday! I had my driving test in the morning. Damn, it was a total failure, let me tell you that. But the sad thing? I didn't really actually fail! It was the damn..shit, just wait, lemme explain. So I wake up at 7, take a shower, call back Vivian, informed her that I was already awake and apologized to her for not being the one to wake me up, grope around a bit for some clothes I think, then at around 7 30 I'm already downstairs. My dad doesn't let me eat anything.

Ti, what do you want to eat?
uhm...how about...cereal?
No.
Rice and..
No, you might get a stomach ache.
Alright well..
Here, eat bread and I'll grab some cream cheese for you.
Okay.

I eat in silence while my dog watches from behind the glass door that leads into the backyard. I was actually not nervous to be honest. I was in the zone I guess you can call it. The driving zone. I was ready to take that test. I was ready to get my license. I was ready. My cell goes off and I pick up. It's Judy.

Hello, can I please speak to..Duy?
(Dude..you're calling my cell..you ARE speaking to Duy)
Oh yeah, this is Duy.
Oh hello Duy, this is Judy, I'm two minutes away.
Oh okay, bye.

Next thing I know I'm sitting in the driver's seat of a Toyota Yaris. We drive off and go pick up Annie. Her appointment was at 9 and mines was just thirty minutes before that. Everything was going just as planned. Life was swell. I looked at everything with a sense of optimism and delight. I was happy. I drove like I was flying. The car, floating above clouds of white. Life was exciting, life was great, life was swell. Everything was going well.

YEAH...everything WAS going well until the test examinar told me I couldn't take the test because I had a broken brake light. FUCK THAT. WTEFLAJLK;FJELWKJAFE.EFWALJFEKLWJFEW.

Fcuk. I'm good, I'm good. So fuck, after that all I did was sit in the toyota listening to a sad song on the radio. Judy was on the phone with Allen, my driving instructor, who was bringing another car for Annie to take the test in. Lucky. Sigh, whatever, Hopefully I can take it again on Monday, but if not Monday, then some other time the week after, which TOTALLY SUCKS HUGE BALLS....

Anywho, have a good day everyone.

Hey, just signing in to say

I love you!

Not Just Two Words

Just two words,
Ba and Noi.
Just two words,
That seemed more than -
just two words.
That seemed much more
than -
just two words.

Because Ba Noi was more than,
Just two words,
to some she was,
a thousand words.

They say a picture's
worth a thousand words
but without the picture
there are no words.

Just two words
but not,
just two words.

- Duy