what? franks dead!
no, that cant be!
he was due back any day,
everyone’s in turmoil, running around, crying & wailing,
frank surely cant be dead - there must be some mistake!
how did it happen? how?, never mind, franks dead?
omg - franks dead. how can this be?
everyone knows frank was really going somewhere.
he was coming right back, any time now.
is he really dead? i cant believe it.
i cant quite, remember what he looked like,
we were buds, right? we hung out together? did stuff?
we had such plans, frank & i.
how can frank be dead?
i’m crying so hard, like everybody else, but, darn it anyway
which one was frank? do you remember?
how can i go to this memorial, if i cant remember?
you either? but, its frank man. frank!
how could this happen?, how could God....
gus & paul go by, into the service, carrying a coffin sized
padded nylon case, by straps on either end, clearly very heavy.
their faces are red, and wet.
paul gives me a look, but i know that look,
its a “is he still crying?, or trying not to laugh, cause he knows the truth?”
kinda look.
and then i realize the truth.
franks not dead. its all a gag.
i peek into the service in time to see them unzip the bag,
and out crawls frank, in his pin-stripe suit, bowler hat,
looking around with this confused frown on his face,
‘what’s going on here? what’s the big deal?’
3 days growth of beard - typical frank, all the way.
suddenly, everyone is laughing, shrieking! leaping about!
i dash in & tackle frank to the ground, pummeling him joyfully,
of course this is frank! my bud! the idiot!
the entire community rushes down & piles on top of us!
now nothing but hysterical, uncontrollable, joyful shrieking laughter!
it was all just a practical joke, typical frank, we should have known!
but ah, the release! the back-from-the-dead JOY bursts! its worth it!
then i wake up, shrieking in laughter, wondering if i have disturbed the other guests in this little motel?
(wednesday night)
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