It was the first time I ever truly saw loneliness.
And it was clear to my 16 year old eyes, that this was some kind of divine sentence.
A punishment.
He was really old, but not as old as he looked...
Clearly, he had the wherewith all to "take care of himself".
I would see him around the neighborhood, taking care of business.
Walking home with his groceries, at the bank making with-drawls, and deposits.
All while being able to see, no higher than his waist.
The old man was a permanent, upside down, "L" shape.
If he looked straight, he was looking straight at his battered feet, and the ground.
I would see him all the time, shuffling about, clearly unhappy with his fate-- seeming like he had been no different, when he was upright.
I asked my mom if she had seen him around, and indeed she had.
She said, " more likely his condition was karma, than polio."
She believed this old man had spent his lifetime, with his nose in the air -- finding himself far too regal, to make eye contact, with the common folk.
Ma thought that his chiropractic disaster, was a direct message-- sent straight from the creator.
And I'll tell you what...
Message received...
My posture might not be great -- but I look everyone in the eye-- and I never deem myself worthy of any more air, than anyone else's lungs.
Precautionary?
Possibly....
But, I can only do what I can do.
Who wants to grow up to be a grumpy, upside "L"?
I can be a jerk, and say some fucked up shit.
But, I'm not stuck up.
And Ma is in the sky now, so I need to be able to look up....
