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jwesley
Member Rara Avis

since 2000-04-30

Posts 7563
Spring, Texas

0 posted 2009-09-16 08:36 PM

Filled-in Vacancies

Digging has been around
ever since man discovered that terra firma,
the solid part of the earth's surface,
could be punctured,
moved from one spot to another,
displaced, opened-up.
In other words,
he learned that holes are created from filled-in vacancies.
And filled-in vacancies are nothing more
than holes, when empty.
He also learned
that holes have a habit of catching things,
and that to keep a hole, any hole,
empty,
requires a certain amount of diligence.
So tools were created,
to help him dig,
and maintain his holes.

Shovels
were the first really efficient
implements he made.
Next came powered shovels,
then massive earth movers
that can push,
pull,
lift and throw,
tons of dirt and rocks,
and whatever else gets in the way.
Then came explosives –
with one “boom” man could now move,
calculated (or not),
massive quantities of material.
He could create massive holes
of almost any shape and size.
He was a digger,
and could create or clean out any hole,
in record time.

Except for his nose.

Man has never gotten efficient
at keeping those two little holes
in the middle of his face,
clean.
They are always filling up.

He blows, sprays, wipes and digs, yet,
it continues to itch, run and impede his breathing.
He has created all kinds of swabs, spoons, picks and suction devices,
but the most commonly used one,
is his finger,
of which he has ten –
not a single one of which fits the nose,
properly.

They are always too big,
or too little.
They let stuff leak around them,
slip off of things,
are totally inefficient
at grabbing anything
that’s going to make any difference,
what-so-ever,
and are very embarrassing
when others catch them . . .
in a compromising position –
like up your nose.

Besides,
have you ever used your finger to clean your nose
when you had something to wipe it on,
or wash it with.

Of course not!

Instead,if you’re lucky enough
to actually remove some of the obstructing debris,
you sneak it over the side of whatever you’re sitting on,
and wipe it underneath.

Maybe you wipe it on your pants,
then rub and rub to make it blend, or,
if not too gooey,
you just rub it between two fingers,
until you can launch it off in space.

No hole,
or holes,
in all the known universe,
has so frustrated man.
He wants it to remain clean,empty.
But his nose thwarts every attempt,
every innovation.
It runs, it itches, it clogs with all kinds
of flotsam,
changes his voice,
embarrasses him,
every chance it gets.

As holes go,
it is God . . .
and brings the strongest man to his knees.

The nose.

The ultimate –
filled-in vacancy.

©wesley james beard, jr.

Midnitesun