there ain't no rest for the wicked

lazily walking down the cracked sidewalk i find a dollar. lucky me. somehow a few steps after putting the dollar in my back pocket i fall. "i was looking at my feet the entire time... how did i fall?" i mumble to my self... i stay on the ground cause i just do. i take pictures of peoples feet, wheels, canes, and tires as they past. i get a good one with a green eyed freckled kid scraping their knee its too young and dressed to unisex for me to know wether its a girl or boy... i should get better with that.

some one kicks my shoe. "what the hell dont you see me sitting here?" i force out not having spoken in a while, looking up to find the balloon man looking at me strangely. that face...i remember it from somewhere. "oh its just you what do you want?" he holds his hand out to me to help me up. i get up on my own then shake his hand and look at my watch... i've been sitting here for over an hour. nice going... the clown points across the street to a cop that glares at me like i'm up to no good. "thanks i guess" what is it with this clown. he always manages to get me out of trouble...like last year when i was here on a group date david, the guy my friend's guy brought, got a lil too freindly and wouldnt leave me be. balloon man followed us around hitting him with snakes like those annoying fragance sellers spray perfume. he got pissed and stormed off like a two year old. a few weeks later, david was arrested and charged with rape and sexual harassment by another girl my age...lucky me. i follow balloon man to the carnival and sit next to him on a stool painted like there's someone trapped inside. i take pictures of the people till 7:45 when my stomach seems to be chewing on its self "aye..." i tapp balloon man on the shoulder "i'm gonna get something to eat you want something?" he shurgs. i start to walk towards a stand with no avail. he pulls on my hood and nods toward the bowling alley. "i hear they have some good chili cheese fries over there" his voice deep and protecive like a cops or a dad should sound. i wonder does he have any kids? i go through my pockets... lint, five cents, a peppermint, and the dollar i found "okay...but i dont really have enough to get us both some" he hands me a ten. hmph. ten minutes later. we eat in a comfortable silence till someone screams. one of the stands have caught on fire. it jumps to the moonshine shed. i take pictures of the blazing inferno and stuff another fry in my mouth with my free hand. i get one picture with a shabby looking man with a look of pure confusion and dismay upon his face. i look for him out side of the view finder but he isnt there. finishing up he points at my face "how did you get cheese on your cheek?" i swat my face noticing yet another stain on my sleve "what the flying f..." he glares at me. "...udge" *justice if you don't get yo lil weird ass in the house!* we look back at the apartment where the call came from " um its really late and the firemen have started to leave um i better get home...nice eating with you... thanks for everything." i rock on my toes...heels...toes...heels "no problem lil lady just stay outta trouble" "right" i mosey to the apartment...was that weird or do people eat with clowns every day?

superstions

I wipe my eyes as carefully as i try to not get the crusteez in my eye that burns so much for no reason, stumbling over the stuffed otter someone gave me... well he said he didn't want it... so i took it. trudging to the bathroom i can see flags and stripes and colored light bulbs through the half open window... the carnival must be in town. when the carnival first came to town dad took us, me and my four brothers, and had the time of our lives. the smell of delicious cotton candy, all beef hot dogs, and disgusting funnel cakes filled the air. lost kids cried for their parents. couples dallying along hand and hand. it was fun then... the years after dad left the carnival seemed to dissolve away with him. getting sketchier and more dreadful as time past. i notice some guy get out his car and run.... i wondered what happened.

After getting dressed grabbing my camera and mp3 player, i headed to the carnival. even though its not like it was when i was a kid, i still like it and all its creepiness. i like to take pictures here. i walk around taking too many random pictures annoying many people cause i keep bumping into them... it makes me laugh seeing the annoyance on their faces. i get in the line of one for a balloon. swaying on my heels.... toes.... heels..... toes....i like how the balloon man gives me snakes when i ask for something different and then when i ask for a snake he gives me Hershey's kisses."may i have a snake please" he gives me a green balloon, purple sharpie, and a handful of chocolate...win. a smile creeps through his angry mask before disappearing when i leave and a bratty kid comes up. he's cool.

it got dark. not just the day but the whole town....except for the carnival. i could freak out like the others but when manmade lights go out the natrual ones shine. i went all the way to the old stadium's parking lot across town to take pictures of the stars... was i the only one who realized this?

chasin' waterfalls

This place…It brings out the worst in people

“Justice!”

Like how a truck driver, one of the most experienced drivers out there, got stuck in the roundabout for two hours this morning…Really.

"JUSTICE!"

His yells kept me up earlier as I lay in bed. Maybe driving isn't as easy as it seems. 

Big feet send rumbles through the floor. The water in my glass dances. The door opens and you can’t see past his behemoth frame; leaving his hand on the knob my eldest bro steps in.
"Justice did your smart ass not hear me calling your name"

"Yeah and..." he gives me that look that dad used to... just not as harsh.

"Can you stop by the store on your way out?"

"Who said I was going anywhere"

"You’re always going somewhere; you can't stand being locked up in this place too long. The list's on the fridge"

"Ok. Have fun at work" 

I get up from the bed and hug him before he goes to work. Can’t forget that...won't make that mistake again. After I was ready, camera and list in my bag, I decide to take a walk and get the groceries on the way back in. Playing with my hands I wait to cross Black Street. A car with a screaming baby creeps by, the feeling that the baby is unhappy because of me lingers as I stroll across the street watching my feet instead of the car blasting its horn. The driver’s curses were silenced by the hunk of metal and glass separating us. I make a face and my tongue dangles. Realizing im still standing in the street I look up at the sky; Days like this, when the sky is covered in clouds and everything’s gray like an old movie...It’s soothing.