The Air is on Fire

Jenny was late. As usual. Not that it really bothered me. I don't care waiting, at least I have time to observe surroundings. And Neil was already there speaking about some things that had happened to him the day before. I devoted him three percents of my attention, just nodding here and there. The queue was long and I decided to play a game which I'm usually playing when I'm surrounded by the crowd. I was imagining that I'm in bee-hive, hearing just one big buzz. Then I started to analyse particular voices, putting them on one stage: sopranos, alts, baritons, tenors. I had almost put together the whole orchestra, when Jenny arrived. It started raining. Jenny was wearing blue. And the rain was black. Or was it just becuse the night came earlier? I couldn't really say.
A minute later we were in. The band was already playing, not bad but rather flat. A dog was barking in a dictance and a child was crying in a room nearby which created quite interesting sound picture. Jenny and Neil plunged in the crowd while I was still standing indecisive. I saw some familiar faces. Sally was there, all in black as usual, with some blood stains on her face trying to look scary. Bob and Mr. Redman would appear in different corners. Bob was screaming while Mr. Redman was standing behind him with a knife in his hand. Their regular performance.
I moved to the bar. Something was out of the place. I had this image in my head of a chicken following me and screaming: »Put me together, put me together!«. A moment later it felt appart and I was followed by the particular parts: wings, thighs, back, neck. I ran all around the place but the chicken was behind me not leaving me for the slightest moment. In the corridor I met Neil and Jenny. They looked horrified. Neil was shouting while he was fighting with something invisible in the air: »Fishing-rod! Give me a fishing-rod!«. I had enough problems with my chicken so I ran away. That was actualy a good move because when I turned around I saw my chicken speaking with Jenny. I opened the first door in front of me and I found myself in a complete darkness. It was raining again. Black rain. I can tell that for sure because I enjoyed standing there while black drops were melting on my face. First image appeared: drawing of a strange chair on the napkin. Then the second. And the third. Strange shapes and objects drawn on even stranger surfaces: envelopes, bills, puking bags... I closed my eyes but the images were still there. There was no point in trying to escape from them.
I don't remember how long I was standing there but when I opened my eyes, I was standing on the beach and The Air was on Fire.


P.S. Yesterday I went with my friends Luc and Beatriz to see exhibition of David Lynch's work. When I woke up this morning I was still overwhelmed by the images that I had seen the day before. So, while I was drinking my second coffee, I put this story on the paper. Btw, I took the photo above few years ago in Dubrovnik. And here Bea and me in front of the exhibition are doing our best for Luc the photographer.

J.J.B.