A BRIEF SURVEY IN REVERSE: MY MEMOIRS

Post with 20 notes

WHEN I WAS 14 I CONSUMED AN ENTIRE BOOK BEFORE MY ASTONISHED HOME-ROOM AND CLAIMED TO HAVE “READ” THE BOOK GASTRONOMICALLY.

WHEN I WAS 13 I FELL FROM A THREE STORY WINDOW AND LANDED ON MY FACE AND PASSED OUT FOR THREE WEEKS. WHEN I WOKE, I FOUND THE WORLD STRANGE

FULL OF LIGHT AND COLORS AND SOUNDS BUT ALL OF THEM TOO LOUD AND TOO BRIGHT AND HAPPENING ALL AT ONCE.

I ACCLIMATED BUT LOST THE ABILITY TO SMELL SOUR THINGS.

I AM SOMETIMES PLAGUED WITH THE CONVICTION THAT MY SHADOW IS “FOLLOWING” ME.

I FEEL AN “INAPPROPRIATE” KINSHIP WITH DOGS (THEIR WORD, NOT MINE).

WHEN I WAS 12 I SPENT A MONTH GROWING A TAIL BUT MY MOTHER HAD IT REMOVED WHEN IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO FIND PANTS I LOOKED GOOD IN.

IVE HAD SINCE BIRTH TWICE THE NUMBER OF TEETH AS A NORMAL ADULT MALE.

WHEN I WAS 10 I COULD NOT TELL MY LEFT FROM MY RIGHT NO MATTER HOW MUCH OR HOW OFTEN I STUDIED AND I STILL CAN’T.

I WAS AT 9 MY MOST RETENTIVE AND SECRETIVE. I DISCOVERED MANY TREASURES AND GREEDILY HID THEM FROM OTHERS.

I WOULD WAKE BEFORE EVERYONE, BEFORE THE SUN, AND PARADE ABOUT THE HOUSE AND ALSO OUTSIDE THE HOUSE AND INTO THE STREET

I WOULD STRIDE LIKE A LORD DOWN THE EMPTY BOULEVARD, CONVINCED THIS QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD, BREATHING IN FOGGY, MORNING BREATHS, WAS MY DOMAIN.

AT 8 I WAS PARALYZED TEMPORARILY BY A BEE. I SPENT THE TIME THINKING.

AT 7 I SHONE LIKE THE SUN. MY BEAMING SMILE, THE BLOND MOP OF MY HAIR, THE LITTLE GLOWWORMS OF MY IRISES.

AT 6 I MYTHOLOGIZED MY OWN PAST, BITTERLY CURSING MY INABILITY TO REMEMBER “ALL THE WAY BACK.”

AT 5, I TOOK A VOW OF SILENCE, WHICH I PROMPTLY BROKE WITH GIGGLING.

WELP THOSE ARE MY MEMOIRS THANK YOU FOR READING.

TPHD