Daily Keemo. 5.28. Words Not Heard And The World Moves On Without You

Words Not Heard And The World Moves On Without You
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I was standing next to the car
pumping gas and in the next
car over there was a couple having an argument
about something and
he yelled and then
she yelled and then
he yelled and
this went on and on and on and
I tried not to listen and I thought about
my flight that leaves early tomorrow morning and
how I bet one of them would be much happier than I am to
get on that flight
taking them a long way from here and
I don't want to go anywhere
and
the yelling continued and
they both just wanted to be heard
and
they never did pump their gas.

At least while I was there.

... Enjoy!

Daily Keemo. 5.21. A Reason For Laughing

A Reason For Laughing
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I remember his striped shirt and
that his finger got slammed in the car door once and
he went home crying and
we all laughed because that
is what groups of young boys do when
things like that happen.

When I look back it was one of the few times that
I feel bad for laughing.

I remember one winter that his
pool was frozen on top and we all dared him
to walk across it and we knew he would
because that is what he did and
three steps across he fell into
the icy pool and
he went home crying and
we all laughed because that
is what groups of young boys do when
things like that happen.

When I look back it was one of the few times that
I feel bad for laughing.

I remember once he came over crying and
asked if I would help him look for his dog that
was on the loose and I did and as
we walked, yelling for his dog
I could hear in his voice that
he was just like me and
we never did find the dog and
I never found
another reason to laugh at him
again.

... Enjoy!

Daily Keemo. 5.14. Nothing Wrong With

Nothing Wrong With
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Well, this is one of those that doesn't have a story. I know, I know but sometimes you just have to paint to paint and that is enough. Nothing wrong with that. Well, with that... Enjoy!

Daily Keemo. 5.12. For Another Day

For Another Day
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Well, you know what? I think tonight is one of those nights that I am going to leave the story up to you. I mean this is a portrait of a real person, in a real city, with a real name but for some reason when I look at this finished painting I think that I am going to save that story for another day. So, for this one, the gaps are for you to fill (or not) ... Enjoy!

Daily Keemo. 5.7. Not Ripe For This Kind Of Conversation

Not Ripe For This Kind Of Conversation
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I was mingling like you do at these kind of events and he told me that I don't charge enough for my art and that if I wanted people to take me seriously I really needed to up the price and then the real collectors will come knocking.

I took a drink to give me a minute to think how to respond and while I swallowed it I thought this whole thing seemed silly. I then decided I wasn't going to bite on that and just kind of shrugged it off. The night was not ripe for this kind of conversation.

"Do you paint?" I asked.
"I used to," he replied. "I stopped when the kids were born and I had to get a real job."
"Oh. That's too bad," I said.
"Maybe one day I will pick it up again," he said.
"You should." I replied.

I excused myself and went outside and when the door closed behind me it was only myself and a beautiful night in a Michigan city and I sipped the rest of my drink alone on the patio and I thought about how all of us sacrifice something for some reason and I just hope that when we all get to the end of this mess that it was all worth it.

... Enjoy!

Daily Keemo. 4.30. The Movement Of People And The Impact Of

The Movement Of People And The Impact Of
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All the cars were moving
slowly on the highway and I
put my arm out the window and
let the sun sit on my skin and
there was no music on
only the sound of all the cars
moving slowly and
as we inched toward the overpass
I could see a figure waving from up above
all the traffic and as I passed slowly
underneath him I could tell his face was
happy and I looked into the rearview mirror at
myself and it was the face of someone who
was in traffic and going nowhere and I knew
the man on the bridge had it all
right.

... Enjoy!

Daily Keemo. 4.22. The Things You Learn In The Middle Of A Lake

The Things You Learn In The Middle Of A Lake
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I remember long days in the little aluminum boat with him and it semed he could sit all day and his beer was in a can and now that I am older I appreciate his ability to be happy there in the little boat, under the sun, with his beer and the long long moments of silence as the water hit the side of the boat while we waited for the fish to find our worms.

That was when I learned that it really isn't about about catching anything. It is about all the other stuff. The quiet, the air, the people you are with and the words you exchange.

I suppose that can be said for just about everything that we do.

The last time I went to the lake, I poured some of my beer into the water from the end of the dock when no one was looking. I don't remember if I caught anything or not but that's OK. I do remember him and that is what matters..

...Enjoy!

Daily Keemo. 4.21. One Day This Moment Will Be

One Day This Moment Will Be
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The air is cold even though there is sun and I open the window and lean on the sill and listen to the silence on the street and my finger goes over the wrinkles in the corner of my eye and I remember that my time here is limited and one day this moment will be lost forever.

...Enjoy!

Daily Keemo. 4.19. A Good Thing For Both Of Us

A Good Thing For Both Of Us
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I had not seen him in nearly twenty years.

I am not the same and
he is not the same
which is a good thing for
both of us.

We were sitting in the green grass at the park
down by the lake and
as he spoke the
memory of the old him faded and
was replaced by the
new him who
was doing the talking.

I am not the same and
he is not the same
which is a good thing for
both of us.

On the way to the airport
he said that he swore that the
old days got better with the passing of
each new day and
I said with each new day the old days
just get older
and
we laughed.

Just like we used to.

...Enjoy!

Daily Keemo. 4.17. Bright And Gold And Huge And

Bright And Gold And Huge And
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We were having a drink
at a table out near the sidewalk
in a city I had never been to and
over the sound of the street
she told me about a place I
have never been to and
a person that I have never met and
I daydreamed about going there
as she talked and
behind her the sun was bright and
gold and huge and
the waitress brought another round and
sitting here now in this dark room
I would give anything for a drink on
a sidewalk in a city I have never
been to.

... Enjoy!