Radical
This is a narrative version of how my grandmother asked my grandfather out, with translated dialogue from my grandfather's point of view.
"1964 marked the Brazilian coup.
"My job at the journal became more conservative, and my job at the radio, more radical. By day, I would write things for the dicatorship and by night, with the help of some of my university friends, we would broadcast our opinions to those who would listen.
"Your grandmother was more obvious about it. She was a wild child, all attitude, miniskirts, and lipstick. And she was nearly impossible to compete with at school. By this point, we'd already fallen into our rivalry.
"She was a vision, as the sun came up she'd yell out into the streets, spreading her pamphlets in front of the other students.
"The day I met her properly, without a hateful exchange, was a sunny day in June, 1967. I'd heard at the journal that the police would be at the school around noon after a tip from a teacher. My job guaranteed my safety, but your grandmother and the others were all but spitting on these people.
"I excused myself early, complaining of pain, then I hopped on my bike and zoomed all ten miles to the school.
"There she was, red skirt this time, with a long sleeved shit, talking about Trotsky. She turned to me and smirked before asking if I was there to watch her lecture.
"It was nearing noon, and we were running out of time. I yelled to the campus "The Police are Coming!" And everyone got to their feet. I stayed back, helping everyone climb over the back wall as the sound of cars approached. Your grandmother, of the same self sacrificing spirit, stayed back as well. When everyone had cleared and it was just us, I helped her up the wall and made my way over it myself.
"We hopped down and laughed for about an hour before she asked me out to dinner."
Sarcastic Quotes
"I'm not insulting you, I'm describing you"-My sister to my brother
"I can explain it to you, that's my job, but what I can't do is understand it for you"-My teacher
"Silence is golden, and duct tape is silver."
"Babe you're like a fish, I'm not gonna judge you on your ability to climb a tree... What I will judge you for is your decision to keep climbing that tree despite knowing that you can't." -Me, always
"I do desire we may be better strangers" -W. Shakespeasre
Control Freak
She was a control freak.
Just... not in the way you’d expect.
She wasn’t itching to fix a flaw in her plan.
The truth was, she was fine with the mess.
As a matter of fact, she often caused it.
What she controlled...
Manifested red black and blue.
Thin lines on his arms.
A bruise shown anew.
Impulsive, yet calculated.
He was her masterpiece.
His world to her liking.
She led the dance,
I think that’s why he forgave her...
Because deep down, he knew
She was lost
And I think so was he.
The control that we saw entrap him
Made him feel free.
Memories
there was a toy soldier who stood at his Post
surrounded by those he thought mattered the most
he stood straight and tall
his stance wouldn’t fall
and his tongue always held a riposte
on a cold dry day, in the air he felt static
hearing some footsteps run into the attic
they said he held no worth
they left our soldier hurt
the experience very Traumatic
the scene became mem’ry he couldn’t address
on account of it causing him mountains of Stress
he ran from his trouble
his heart left in rubble
his mind going into recess
the little toy soldier was losing his mind
a low point of life flashing constant rewind
with his life in Disorder
he would tiptoe the border
his sanity left undefined
You were gone
A girl walked through rows of dirt mounds, souls laid there with no name or honor. She stopped at a small one covered in daisies, and kneeled.
“I opened my eyes and saw how the world had crumpled. The sky was red, and the air was dusty, it was hard to breathe. I had been running from the police for nearly two weeks.
“Then, I found you. You were so small, covered in dirt, and with the messiest hair ever. You padded up to me and yapped quietly, almost nervously and licked my ankles, making me laugh for the first time in weeks.
“You had no collar, no mark, and you were so thin. I knew we’d help each other.
“I brought you to my place, it, like us was tiny and a mess. I scrubbed you clean and brushed your hair out. You made the funniest faces. Oh how I miss the faces you made.
“I named you Rex, you’re a little king.”
The girl paused for a minute, choking back a sob and brushing her hair out of her face as she looked around and made sure no guards were near.
“I remember one day, we were out getting food and you got into a disagreemnt with a skunk. I had to bathe you for hours in the river until the city guards found us and we had to run again. I think you still smelled bad for weeks after.”
She giggled quietly, tears pouring freely.
“You didn’t have to go you know? You could’ve stayed with me. You could’ve run and let me get hit. You were always such a brave little fella.”
She patted the pile of dirt and placed a handmade flower toy onto it.
“Remember when I made you this? I promised I’d never let you get hurt. I promised I’d protect you from them, and you licked me, and I knew you promised the same. I just didn’t think you’d get hurt...
“I still remember the day it happened. It’s been months, but it feels like yesterday. We were out getting water, and you saw something in the river, it was a necklace, I still have it with me...
“We spent a little too much time goofing off. You heard something and the city guards were there...
“They were more violent then usual that day”
The girl held up her left arm to reveal two missing fingers and a deep scar.
“They started shooting, and they brought out their dogs. We made it to the end of the wood when they caught up to us. Rex, you were so brave. You started barking and we ran further, I thought you fell behind.”
She placed a turquoise collar on the pile.
“And when I looked again, you were gone.”