The Galilee
Part
Baudelaire wasdriving a Model Aacross Galilee.
He picked up ahitch-hiker
Jesus who hadbeen standing amonga school of fish,feeding thempieces of bread."Where are yougoing?"
Jesus, gettinginto the frontseat."Anywhere, anywhereout of this
Baudelaire."I'll go with youas far
Golgotha,"said Jesus."I have a concessionat the carnivalthere, and I must not belate."The American
Part
Baudelaire was sittingin a doorway with a winoon San Fransisco's skid row.
The wino was a millionyears old and could remember dinosaurs.
Baudelaire and the winowere drinking Petri Muscatel."One must always be drunk," said Baudelaire."I live in the American Hotel,"said the wino. "And I can remember dinosaurs.""Be you drunken ceaselessly," said
Part
Baudelaire used to cometo our house and watch me grind coffee.
That was in 1939and we lived in the slumsof Tacoma.
My mother would putthe coffee beans in the grinder.
I was a childand would turn the handle,pretending that it was a hurdy-gurdy,and Baudelaire would pretendthat he was a monkey,hopping up and downand holding outa tin cup.
The
Part
Baudelaire openedup a hamburger standin San Fransisco,but he put flowersbetween the buns.
People would come inand say, "Give me ahamburger with plentyof onions on it."Baudelaire would givethem a flowerburgerinstead and the peoplewould say, "What kindof a hamburger standis this?"The Hour of
Part 5"The Chineseread the timein the eyesof cats,"said Baudelaireand went intoa jewelry storeon Market Street.
He came outa few momentslater carryinga twenty-onejewel Siamesecat that hewore on theend of agolden chain.
Salvador
Part 6"Are youor aren't yougoing to eatyour soup,you bloody oddcloud merchant?"Jeanne Duvalshouted,hitting Baudelaireon the backas he satdaydreamingout the window.
Baudelaire wasstartled.
Then he laughedlike hell,waving his spoonin the airlike a wandchanging the roominto a paintingby
Dali, changingthe roominto a paintingby Van Gogh.
A Baseball
Part
Baudelaire wentto a baseball gameand bought a hot dogand lit up a pipeof opium.
The New York Yankeeswere playingthe Detroit Tigers.
In the fourth inningan angel committedsuicide by jumpingoff a low cloud.
The angel landedon second base,causing thewhole infieldto crack likea huge mirror.
The game wascalled onaccount offear.
Insane
Part
Baudelaire wentto the insane asylumdisguised as apsychiatrist.
He stayed therefor two monthsand when he left,the insane asylumloved him so muchthat it followedhim all
California,and Baudelairelaughed when theinsane asylumrubbed itselfup against hisleg like a strange cat.
My Insect
Part
When I was a childI had a graveyardwhere I buried insectsand dead birds undera rose tree.
I would bury the insectsin tin foil and match boxes.
I would bury the birdsin pieces of red cloth.
It was all very sadand I would cryas I scooped the dirtinto their small graveswith a spoon.
Baudelaire would comeand join inmy insect funerals,saying little prayersthe size ofdead birds.
San
February 1958
