Biden Cheering the Ukrainian Heroes
Tenderbest eatery mid-morning. Among a few others behind spread across the dining area, a middle-aged Chinese sat at the far end. The man’s plate & cup were pushed into the centre of the table, chair pulled out. Started his day early and overcome now—head thrown back onto the iron upright, hands clasped in front against the table. Two or three roughly scrunched pages of his newspaper softened the headrest; in front similar was jammed against the sharp outer edge of the table, against which clean, heavy, workingman’s hands rested with fingers knitted. The snatch of sleep elicited smiles in passers-by glancing in his direction; some part of the peacefulness was shared by all. There was no snoring or stirring.
The heavy hands drew attention, oversized for a man of that stature. Hands of honest toil, suggestive of Van Gogh’s portraits. (Hands that always presented a challenge even for the most accomplished of painters.) After his early start, ten minutes dozing would restore the man. Later he would waken with little blinks, rise erect from his chair, straighten his jacket and lightly step from that Geylang stage, which was all apparent in the figure.
Exuding humanity. Like all those caught in repose on the streets of the oppressive Tropics, on the buses and in the malls, and years later still capable of giving a start on first discovery. Looking more closely, light respiration confirmed the signs of life.
The mashing of the paper produced no discordance, nor detracted from the repose; on the contrary, all was perfectly fitting. Some left-over sheets sat discarded on the table.
January 2023
https://www.action-spectacle.com/winter-2026-part-ii/radonic
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