Curated Chaos
Writings, Performance Art, Inspiration
Artist Peep Show, FAB NYC
A Ghost Within
Created in The Medea Project Best Practices Workshop
Created in The Medea Project Best Practices Workshop
The Sandwich
Every day Jay walked to work on the same route. On his way to his middle management job at a manufacturing plant, he passed by friends he knew his whole life. Susan who always walked her five dogs at 8:35am; Mr. Jorgenson who would sit at the bus stop all day feeding the pigeons; Henry who sold pies on the side of the road; and of course Roxy, his high school sweetheart turned unrequited love. All the characters of his day, he passed before 9:00am. Then he would take his seat at his quiet desk; an office of one.
Jay answered each email he received meticulously, with the thought and care of a particularly lonely man. He would often include humorous memes at the bottom of his replies. Some days, he attached interesting links to timely and relevant news articles. Jay remembered every employee’s birthday, and spent a great deal of time crafting the perfect card for his co-workers. Despite a complete absence of personal interaction, he considered them family.
On a dreary Monday walk to work, Jay encountered something unusual. A gigantic sandwich sitting on the sidewalk. He bent over to examine the sandwich’s contents: meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. The sandwich was perfectly constructed. Who made this heavenly sandwich? Why did they drop it here? As Jay pondered the origins of the mysterious lunch food, he heard the omnipotent sound of thunder. The forecast had called for rain and Jay knew it would not be long until the magnificent sandwich would be soaked and rendered inedible.
Who could help him? Henry had already mentioned heading home, as pies do not sell in inclement weather. Mr. Jorgenson had an unexplained and very public fear of lunch meat and Jay could not risk an encounter with Susan and the veracious appetite of her hoard of dogs. It must be Roxy.
Jay took off his yellow raincoat and delicately placed it over the sandwich. There was no time to improvise further shelter, he needed Roxy. Jay galloped to the industrial park that housed the real estate firm in which Roxy spent her days. As he rushed into the building’s front door he gasped “Roxy, Roxy. I must see Roxy.”
As Roxy approached, Jay could feel the flitter flutter of his heart. Were these feelings for Roxy or the perishing sandwich? There was no time to think. He grabbed Roxy and whispered, “knife?” She produced a nail file instead. It would do. Roxy and Jay ran down the street. Jay prayed the sandwich was still there. Jay looked down and saw a dozen feral cats heading in the same direction as the sandwich. Over his dead body he thought, and ran faster.
Roxy and Jay arrived at the sandwich. The cats had been distracted by a discarded can of tuna. Without prompting, Roxy began to slice the sandwich into manageable five feet sections. Jay wrapped the sandwich pieces in his coat and the two hurried to Jay’s workplace.
At work, Jay sent a frantic, excited email that a marvelous, glorious sandwich was in the break room. A sandwich which would feed the entire staff and then some! As his co-workers filed in, slapping Jay on the back, graciously accepting his gift of lunch, Jay felt a sense of complete connectedness. His loneliness dissipated into the sounds of delighted colleagues, thanking him for their full bellies. At that moment, Jay turned to Roxy. He would not let her go again. Roxy turned towards Jay and knew that they had accomplished something remarkable. She grabbed his hand and never let go.
Jay answered each email he received meticulously, with the thought and care of a particularly lonely man. He would often include humorous memes at the bottom of his replies. Some days, he attached interesting links to timely and relevant news articles. Jay remembered every employee’s birthday, and spent a great deal of time crafting the perfect card for his co-workers. Despite a complete absence of personal interaction, he considered them family.
On a dreary Monday walk to work, Jay encountered something unusual. A gigantic sandwich sitting on the sidewalk. He bent over to examine the sandwich’s contents: meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. The sandwich was perfectly constructed. Who made this heavenly sandwich? Why did they drop it here? As Jay pondered the origins of the mysterious lunch food, he heard the omnipotent sound of thunder. The forecast had called for rain and Jay knew it would not be long until the magnificent sandwich would be soaked and rendered inedible.
Who could help him? Henry had already mentioned heading home, as pies do not sell in inclement weather. Mr. Jorgenson had an unexplained and very public fear of lunch meat and Jay could not risk an encounter with Susan and the veracious appetite of her hoard of dogs. It must be Roxy.
Jay took off his yellow raincoat and delicately placed it over the sandwich. There was no time to improvise further shelter, he needed Roxy. Jay galloped to the industrial park that housed the real estate firm in which Roxy spent her days. As he rushed into the building’s front door he gasped “Roxy, Roxy. I must see Roxy.”
As Roxy approached, Jay could feel the flitter flutter of his heart. Were these feelings for Roxy or the perishing sandwich? There was no time to think. He grabbed Roxy and whispered, “knife?” She produced a nail file instead. It would do. Roxy and Jay ran down the street. Jay prayed the sandwich was still there. Jay looked down and saw a dozen feral cats heading in the same direction as the sandwich. Over his dead body he thought, and ran faster.
Roxy and Jay arrived at the sandwich. The cats had been distracted by a discarded can of tuna. Without prompting, Roxy began to slice the sandwich into manageable five feet sections. Jay wrapped the sandwich pieces in his coat and the two hurried to Jay’s workplace.
At work, Jay sent a frantic, excited email that a marvelous, glorious sandwich was in the break room. A sandwich which would feed the entire staff and then some! As his co-workers filed in, slapping Jay on the back, graciously accepting his gift of lunch, Jay felt a sense of complete connectedness. His loneliness dissipated into the sounds of delighted colleagues, thanking him for their full bellies. At that moment, Jay turned to Roxy. He would not let her go again. Roxy turned towards Jay and knew that they had accomplished something remarkable. She grabbed his hand and never let go.
Junk Drawer
I don’t get much use anymore
I’ve been discarded to the junk drawer
In my cluttered home, I reside in the dark
It is quiet and lonely and the edges are sharp
I lay in this place and I long for more
Perhaps it’s been forgotten what I was for
At one time I had lots of clout
You make cool things, everyone would shout
I’d zing and I’d zag and I’d do what I do
And I’d turn to the people and say I do this for you
But then I got tired and was put in the drawer
And I started to wonder what all the doing was for
What is my purpose, what is my drive?
If no one says that I’m useful can I survive?
I beg and I beg to be taken out of the drawer
To be placed on the countertop where I can’t be ignored
I promise I’ll make and I’ll make and I’ll do it with glee
Just please tell me I’m good and have a reason to be
I don’t get much use anymore
I’ve been discarded to the junk drawer
In my cluttered home, I reside in the dark
It is quiet and lonely and the edges are sharp
I lay in this place and I long for more
Perhaps it’s been forgotten what I was for
At one time I had lots of clout
You make cool things, everyone would shout
I’d zing and I’d zag and I’d do what I do
And I’d turn to the people and say I do this for you
But then I got tired and was put in the drawer
And I started to wonder what all the doing was for
What is my purpose, what is my drive?
If no one says that I’m useful can I survive?
I beg and I beg to be taken out of the drawer
To be placed on the countertop where I can’t be ignored
I promise I’ll make and I’ll make and I’ll do it with glee
Just please tell me I’m good and have a reason to be