an old writer and his words

  • AFTERLIFE

    In the farthest reachesof the afterlife, the old mengather each day, althoughday and night are meaninglessto them, just assignedfor purposes of the writer. The Buddha recites sutrashoping the others willbe in the moment with him,while Hillel smiles, standson one foot and dreamsof a lean pastrami on ryewith a slice of half sour. Christ muses on…

    Lou Faber

  • CHATTER

    The cat tells me thatlong after we have goneto bed for the night shehears the argumentsof the authors of the bookslining our living room shelves. The poets, she says, quibbleover rhyme and meter, claimthis one is academic, thatone merely skilled in doggerel. And don’t, she adds, get herstarted on the Buddhistauthors, who argue endlesslyover their…

    Lou Faber

  • AWAITING ORDERS

    I am waiting patiently for her to tell me what I need to do next today. I’m sure she’ll be along shortly with a list. Hopefully, today it will be a short list. And I know that no matter how quickly I get to whatever task it is she assigns, she will, watching me like…

    Lou Faber

  • ALL A GAME

    She noticed the geckolong before we did, stalked itacross the lanai, finallyseparating the tail, seemingto know it would grow another,this game to be replayedon another morning, thenstopped, inviting meto capture the small lizard,gently release him outside,good karma I imagineknowing well I could use it.

    Lou Faber

  • PROPRIETRESS

    The cat has progressed to the point where she runs the household. In fairness she does a fine job of it, but we believe that is because she has hired superb help. She knows what needs to be done, and when it needs to be done. She willingly reminds us of what we need to…

    Lou Faber

  • SOTTO VOCE

    For reasons I cannot determinethe cat sings to us each morningat 4 A.M. and why I am awaketo hear her songs is alsosomthing I cannot determine. She has a sweet voice andshe does know several tunesbut when I do get uptwo hours later, she refusesto tell me what the lyrics were. I suppose one morningat…

    Lou Faber

  • SHOWERS

    We sat on our lanai last nightin our twin rockers, the catcurled close by but carefullyremoved from the rockersand stared into the sky hopingmeteors would grace uswith their fleeting presence. The moon did appear, shroudedin thin clouds, spectral ghostwaxing slowly in hiding, butthe stars had fled this night,fearing the rain thatthe cloud mantle promised. We…

    Lou Faber

  • SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

    1. And itshould come asno great surpriseIsaac Newton said,“I find I nowprefer to sit beneathpear trees.” 2. In his smallLeningrad apartmentIvan Petrovich Pavlovcursed ,”damn dogs,you bite meevery timesomeone ringsthe doorbell.” 3. Schrodinger shoutedat the PETA protesters“I’ve told youagain and againthe catis also alive,just don’t look.” First published in Defenestration, Volumee XVIII, Issue III, December 2021

    Lou Faber

  • RAINY DAY

    The rain came sideways today, or almost so. The cat decided that if she needed a bath, she’d give it to herself and opted to watch the storm through the sliding glass door to the lanai. When it ended, she ventured back out, checking out the various and sundry chairs, all hers she assumes, and…

    Lou Faber

  • BECAUSE, JUST BECAUSE

    The cat is stalking around the house, wary. She gets this way after coming back from the vet. She actually likes the vet, and not only for the treats she gets, and the pawdicure. But she must stalk and be wary so we will be remorseful for having taken her to the vet. And she…

    Lou Faber