Almost a week ago, I met a man
who told me I had never felt real pain.
And then he had vanished out of my life,
before I had asked to have his real name.

The atmosphere, was as it always was
surrounding the old Chestnut Tree cafe.
A feeling of quiet melancholy
had filled the open room, packed with poets,
writers and old has-beens, fresh from the stage.
I had acquired a usual seat,
at a small, round table in the corner.
It was next to a window that looked out
onto a high street, that was once ‘THE’ place
to shop, but sadly it isn’t much now.
They had recently built a new centre,
now bigger, better, cleaner and cheaper
that had made this old high street redundant.

This view served to remind me of two things.

To fear and hate the bigger and better,
was the first of these visual clip notes.

For me the second is more positive.

Although I may live, work and socialise
in such a meaningless metropolis,
there is always this place, this history.
A place where I can care and use large words.
A place where I can write about my faith,
The First Church of Existantology.

As I jotted my thoughts in my note book,
I heard the creaking wooden door open.
I glanced up. I always did. But this time
to my relief and surprise, it was him.

I don’t know what I expected from him,
but he just walked on by, past my corner.
I tried everything, just to catch his glance.
I just wanted to share a drink with him,
to ask him what he does, and what he writes.
To ask him of his faith and his beliefs,
his opinions regarding our leaders,
the music he enjoys, the books he reads,
if only to learn more about the mind
of a much more experienced poet.

I got up from my chair and made my way
towards the bar, where he had just settled.
¨Good evening sir, we spoke the other night!¨
I said as I reintroduced myself.

¨Did we my boy? And what did we speak of?¨
he spoke with a rather disheartening
tone of complete and utter confusion.

I had once again proved to take myself
far too seriously, as it was clear
from his tone. He did not remember me.

08/22/2007

Author's Note: Part IV will more than likely follow...

Posted on 08/22/2007
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