Three prose pieces
By Matt Leahy
Dear Mr. Baptiste,
you look good to me. In a decade and no less you have been fixated
upon the so-called Jaunty Country Geese phenomenon. You have been living in
your very own regular sized. You are, as they say, _______. For some time now.
You are currently surrounded. In you very own regular sized.
Let me explain. For some time now you have been a man donning
his shirt. In your very own regular sized. You are currently surrounded.
Perhaps you did not understand. In a decade and no less, you
have been, as they say, _______. In your very own regular sized. You are currently
surrounded, at the moment. As they say.
Is this clear? For some time now, you are currently surrounded.
In a decade and no less. In your very own regular sized. You are, as they say,
_______.
Sincerely,
Dear Mr. Baptiste,
You have been selected as one of the Participants. We know something
about you. You are unafraid to use the word 'bosom' although at times there
is a telling hesitation, almost as if _____. You know the rules cold, and are
affable enough, but some consider you a bit _______. You are not completely,
although at times. It has been whispered. Just imagine what it would be like,
in your very own regular-sized. I wonder if you can.
Let me put it to you this way: it is Urgent that you respond,
although to respond 'incorrectly' would be, to say the least, _______. We know
something about you. Almost as if. There is no reason to panic. it is hard to
read, I understand, because of the glare of the light. Things are fine, although
at times. It is hard to read because of the great whooshing smear. Almost as
if.
You are being _____ed right at this very moment, Mr. Baptiste,
by something that you might not thought had existed, although at times. It is
Urgent. Perhaps you are beginning to remember. Perhaps, even, _______.
This is no hoax, Mr. Baptiste. You have earned this, in all
its _____. You will be seeing something very soon. To disregard it would be
_____. If you know what I mean.
Urgently,
Dear Mr. Baptiste,
It's a little bit funny. Wouldn't you say? What you now hold
in your hands is only the latest _____ in a series of events dating back to
_____. In your very own regular-sized. Perhaps you had suspected, at some time.
Then forgotten. Do you remember the owl, Mr. Baptiste? What about the small
piece of _____ in your ear? Or even _____? It's a little bit funny.
There once was a time, Mr. Baptiste. Coincedence? There are
such things. It exists. Even in your very own regular-sized. There are certain
things in the world. It is essential that you understand this. For example,
_____. But this is only the beginning.
Yes, Mr. Baptiste, there are certain things - - and certain
other things. There once was a time. In which. In which. Certain things. By
God, eh, Mr. Baptiste?
But why not verify it for yourself, right now? Just take a look
around you. You might just . . . notice something. It's a little bit funny,
isn't it, Mr. Baptiste? By God, eh!?
Yes, there are certain things - - things that do not, in fact,
_____. But these are exactly the kinds of things!! These are the kinds of things,
exactly!! Right down to the last _____!! By God, eh, Mr. Baptiste?!
I'm sure you know in your heart that there has been no mistake,
Mr. Baptiste. With these kinds of things there never is. And this is only the
latest _____, dating back to _____. It kind of makes you _____, doesn't it,
Mr. Baptiste?
Sincerely,
Copyright 1999 by Matt Leahy