Ripple (809 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.92 on 40 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Snark << snarkk.at.gmail.com (View user info) at 2007-03-01 16:07:26 EST
RIPPLE
The ambulance visits my street twice a week.
It pulls up quietly and a short time later someone with grey hair and a fat bank account is wheeled into it on a stretcher.
I like this neighborhood. It's quiet. There are lots of old people. Their beamers fill the parking spaces and their pets fill the elevators.
There is a boardwalk across the street from my building. Flower beds run down the middle of it. Expensive townhouses and condo's sit on one side of it, the muddy Fraser river flows lazily bye on the other.
The closer the boardwalk gets to the quay, the less the condo's cost.
I've walked it a million times. I've stood with my hands against the railing and watched seal hunt salmon in the dense brown water. The far bank of the river is home to freight ships, stacks of multicolored containers and huge loading cranes. The ships come up the river from the ocean, eat their fill and move on, much like the seals.
I've stumbled down the boardwalk at night, drunkenly. I've walked hand in hand on it, even had quick sneaky sex on it in the small hours of the morning while old souls slept and dreamed all around me.
In the summer, I take my daughter for ice cream at the quay. She stops every senior with a dog and asks them if she can pet it.
She stops everyone with a dog.
Those with silver hair always say yes. They always smile when they do.
There's something reaffirming about the shine in an old persons eye when they share a bit of time and space with the very young.
Maybe it's an appreciation of innocence...
Maybe it is an advanced understanding of the value of things that comes in later years.
Spring is coming. Winter is still sharp in the morning air but the sun visits more often and its beams seem to penetrate a little deeper these days.
Soon the flower beds will be replanted and the boardwalk will explode with every color spring can offer plus whatever else tickles the landscapers fancy.
This summer I'll stroll the boardwalk again, and stumble down it again, and maybe even make love there but I don't think I'll truly understand it.
Maybe I will later; when my hair is white and a simple question from a little girl chases away the melancholy of the day.
Spring is coming.
The ambulance comes quietly. Its lights are still. Its siren muzzled.
It stops somewhere different every time.
Deftones - Minerva
I get all...numb
When she sings it's over
Such a strange numb
And it brings my knees to the earth
And God bless you all
For the song you saved us...
You're the same...numb
When you sing it's over
Such a strange numb
It could bring back peace to the earth
So God bless you all
For the song you saved us...oh...
For the hearts you break, everytime you moan...
I get all...numb
We're the same numb
And it brings our knees to the earth
So God bless you all
For the song you saved us..oh...
For the hearts you break, everytime you moan
And God bless you all on the earth...
User Reviews
Submitted by FlakMonkey (user info) at 2007-10-26 10:54:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
very nice
~Brdn_Nkd
Submitted by Alter (user info) at 2007-09-26 22:38:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No, Comment.
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2007-06-25 20:43:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2007-06-25 20:08:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by peckerhead (user info) at 2007-03-05 12:59:19 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
There's something reaffirming about the shine in an old persons eye when they share a bit of time and space with the very young.
Maybe it's an appreciation of innocence...
Maybe it is an advanced understanding of the value of things that comes in later years.
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Like others below, I really enjoyed the above sequence. I think there really is something to "...older and wiser" - prior to alzheimers that is. My own personal observation is that the more mature adults understand that there are a TON of things (bad news, accidents, wars, catastrophes etc.) to feel bad or negative about.
In fact, the *less* mature adults and many younger people go around all day long playing "ain't it awful" in a 'misery loves company' sort of way. Kudos to the old person who decides to keep a generally positive disposition in SPITE of all the bad things going on. I don't mean some pious accentuate the positive/ eliminate the negative c/w fake smile gag me with a stick positive.
I mean the older person who wisely chooses to be positive around children, full well knowing that they will find out and be exposed to all the negative things soon enough. Christ, let the poor child enjoy some peace, happiness and contentment while he/she can! Let him go to bed at night thinking everything is okay for now.
Last but not least... a smile at the right time -- to both children AND adults -- can work wonders. I've been beaten down weary at the end of a work day or difficult task and someone has simply smiled and said hello. It's made my day. Likewise when things are going well for me, I try to do the same for others. We're all in this together. Thanks, Snark. Good one.
Submitted by BubbaEarl (user info) at 2007-03-02 09:14:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
jack is one of my favorite posters here, but i reckon you could write him under the table. just sayin...
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2007-03-02 09:00:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by BadAssJulie (user info) at 2007-03-02 04:20:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by tiaprae (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:42:12 (#)
Ranking: 2
Deftones are an automatic +2
Submitted by Benny (user info) at 2007-03-02 02:35:43 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You certainly have a way with words.
Submitted by eric_the_bread (user info) at 2007-03-01 22:49:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Stagger_Lee (user info) at 2007-03-01 20:36:57 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Circe (user info) at 2007-03-01 20:26:09 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I like you.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-03-01 20:01:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by i_can_get_you_a_toe (user info) at 2007-03-01 19:55:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by DeathJester (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:43:36 (#)
Ranking: 2
Minerva.
----
'7 words' always makes me feel like stamping my feet and yelling wooohooooo!
Submitted by shitfuck (user info) at 2007-03-01 18:45:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Holy shit. I'm listening to that album right now.
Submitted by skrapmetal (user info) at 2007-03-01 18:30:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
"There's something reaffirming about the shine in an old persons eye when they share a bit of time and space with the very young."
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Trüe.
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2007-03-01 17:12:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I don't understand it either. What I do know, however, is that for one reason or another you're this close to being called Plucky Snark from now on.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2007-03-01 17:00:42 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Aha.
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2007-03-01 17:00:13 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
http://www.cartoondepot.com/pages/img/wb/pc/19-80680%20Cel%20Baby%20Plucky.jpg
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:59:40 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Diaper go down the hole.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:45:39 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:44:11 (#)
Ranking: 2
This chases away the melancholy of the day.
=========
Thank You.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:45:06 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Uhhhh.
That was meant for Orgasmo.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:44:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Please keep in mind that I am Snark and therefore not too bright.
Keep this up and you might actually make me bleed out of my eyes.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:44:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This chases away the melancholy of the day.
Submitted by DeathJester (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:43:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Minerva.
Submitted by DeathJester (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:43:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Great post.
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:42:38 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Elevator go down the hole.
Submitted by tiaprae (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:42:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
"Maybe it's an appreciation of innocence..."
I loved this line
Also Deftones are an automatic +2
Submitted by The_Drake (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:31:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I thought it said "nipple"
It was a good read.
But not as good as a nipple.
Submitted by scourge (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:30:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
nice clump of words
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:30:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:25:58 (#)
Ranking: 2
Water goes down the hole.
===================
I don't even know what that means.
Submitted by Coyote (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:27:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
It's snowing 2 inches an hour outside, I'm blasting the Beach Boys, and the boy is watching NASCAR on TV. I really feel like I should be tipping that half-empty bottle of Black Bush into a tumbler, but technically I'm still at work.
Submitted by Foolproof (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:27:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:25:58 (#)
Ranking: 2
Water goes down the hole.
--------------
HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH!
Best part of this post!
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:25:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Water goes down the hole.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:21:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Good God.
Yep, disfigured old people have been known to instill certain phobias in the young and impressionable.
Submitted by Coyote (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:18:32 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
When I was a kid I was always afraid when silverhairs got too friendly or came too close because I thought they were going to try to steal some of my lifespan away to lengthen their own. They're kind of vampiric, somehow.
That and my stepmmother's grandmother had long ago lost most of her nose to frostbite and it gave me a serious desire to avoid the company of the elderly.
Submitted by Amontillado (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:17:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
It's raining and I love it.
Submitted by Creepy_guy (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:11:57 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Excellent...
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:10:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Good to see you on the front page again.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2007-03-01 16:10:38 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
SHLONGY --> It pulls up quietly and a short time later someone with grey hair and a fat bank account is wheeled into it on a stretcher.