Thursday - Ride 'em Carney
Mar. 2nd, 2006 01:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ninanevermoreToday on the drive into work, I was stopped at the red light when I heard a whistle from the direction of the Carney working his Ferris Wheel. I hadn't been paying attention to him much lately, and he was trying to get my attention. It no longer bothers me when death tries to get my attention, so long as he is polite about it. He waved and smiled when I looked his way, so I returned the favor.
He wore a cowboy hat instead of the gimme cap that usually sits atop his head. It is Rodeo season in Houston right now; I suppose he is one of those people who dresses up for it. I'm not, myself. This is the one time of year that many people in Houston actually dress the way the rest of the world assumes we do year round. I don't even own a pair of cowboy boots, much less a hat. The Carney's hat was an old gray felt Stetson that has seen better days. When you are immortal, you don't worry about getting new stuff all of the time. If the Stetson fits and still has its shape to it, then you wear it.
He did not have his harmonica or his guitar with him this morning, which disappointed me. I like the idea that Death plays music when he relaxes. He did have his cigarettes with him, though. I tried to pantomime blowing a smoke ring by leaning my head back and pursing my lips in oder to get him to blow one, and after a few seconds he got the idea and obliged me. I have never gotten over being impressed with people who can blow smoke rings. The smoke rings that the Carney blows are particularly dramatic; they don't dissipate like other peoples' smoke rings do, but instead rise and expand like round circular clouds above his head until they blend in with the real clouds. The light changed and I drove away, still watching his smoke ring rise in the sky in my rear-view mirror, flattered that he had blown it just because I asked him to.
When I got to the office, it occurred to me that maybe I shouldn't ask favors of death like that; because of who he is, it is better to have him in your debt than the other way around. On the other hand, I don't think he holds favors over a person's head. He stops your ride when he gets the order to, regardless of whether you owe him a smoke ring or not. His only concept of "fair" is that everyone gets a turn, regardless of how long they get to ride. He won't be concerned that it's not fair that he blew me a smoke ring, and I didn't do anything in return. The debt of one smoke ring shouldn't effect the length or quality my ride.
In that case, I may just ask him to blow me another tomorrow.
He wore a cowboy hat instead of the gimme cap that usually sits atop his head. It is Rodeo season in Houston right now; I suppose he is one of those people who dresses up for it. I'm not, myself. This is the one time of year that many people in Houston actually dress the way the rest of the world assumes we do year round. I don't even own a pair of cowboy boots, much less a hat. The Carney's hat was an old gray felt Stetson that has seen better days. When you are immortal, you don't worry about getting new stuff all of the time. If the Stetson fits and still has its shape to it, then you wear it.
He did not have his harmonica or his guitar with him this morning, which disappointed me. I like the idea that Death plays music when he relaxes. He did have his cigarettes with him, though. I tried to pantomime blowing a smoke ring by leaning my head back and pursing my lips in oder to get him to blow one, and after a few seconds he got the idea and obliged me. I have never gotten over being impressed with people who can blow smoke rings. The smoke rings that the Carney blows are particularly dramatic; they don't dissipate like other peoples' smoke rings do, but instead rise and expand like round circular clouds above his head until they blend in with the real clouds. The light changed and I drove away, still watching his smoke ring rise in the sky in my rear-view mirror, flattered that he had blown it just because I asked him to.
When I got to the office, it occurred to me that maybe I shouldn't ask favors of death like that; because of who he is, it is better to have him in your debt than the other way around. On the other hand, I don't think he holds favors over a person's head. He stops your ride when he gets the order to, regardless of whether you owe him a smoke ring or not. His only concept of "fair" is that everyone gets a turn, regardless of how long they get to ride. He won't be concerned that it's not fair that he blew me a smoke ring, and I didn't do anything in return. The debt of one smoke ring shouldn't effect the length or quality my ride.
In that case, I may just ask him to blow me another tomorrow.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Asking Death to blow smoke rings
Date: 2006-03-02 09:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-02 09:36 pm (UTC)I enjoy your writing so much. . This is fandom in its most retarded state. But its great you know, it weaves this story and I can almost.. but not quite see how it would be to see it literally.. and all those references and comparisons between Carnies and Death.. are excellent as though one could not exist without the other.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-03 05:24 pm (UTC)Then there are those people who don't read me but who keep me on their friends list because they are too lazy to do any housekeeping.
Comments or no comments, I just take it all in stride. :)
no subject
Date: 2006-03-03 12:10 am (UTC)I like the idea of asking death for party tricks.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-03 05:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-03 05:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-03 11:37 pm (UTC)