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9/13/99
Fall, 1968
I entered
the house because of the brother and I really do not remember
why. It was in an old south Clairemont neighborhood, the kind
with gray grass lawns and Navy families. His attitude towards
me changed when we entered through the door like a feeling
of abandonment, but not towards me, it was the culture of
the inside of this house. I sensed three persons were inside
other than me. My reality was shifting and this visit became
a dream time like when you experience something alien that
involves your presence. I wandered and found what I assumed
was a sister in her room. She was in front of a mirror smoking
and combing her hair getting ready to go out. Addressing me
without looking my way she started a performance, a tawdry
flirtation. She put on her fish nets with each leg taking
its turn hoisted on the bed in the room. I dissapered. It
was all the same in this house. Nothing could be shocking
here. I could expect anything to happen. I wandered again.
No light in here, everything dark, all areas seperate territories.
The brother I came with was in his room also smoking. He looked
at me annoyed as if I had seen something I should'nt have.
I was a stranger.
I said something
about his sister and he said she was a slut. His shirt was
off and I noticed a tatoo on one side of his breast. His hair
was long on top and short on the sides. It was the fashion
of a lot of the tough military kids in school back then. Kind
of combed straight back without a part and held down with
something. I said something else and he just kind of looked
right through me. Another man came into the picture. The sister
went off with him and left through the front. She looked like
she was his girlfriend. Her dress was short, the hair was
straight, her eyes with purple shadow, her legs with the nets;
that was a girls costume in 1968 from South Clairemont who's
father was in the military. This house was a motel without
love but with anger. Your kids put in their time until they
could get out. I left and felt the bleary overcast Clairemont
light shift me back to the street, back to my house, putting
in my time.
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