Improfitable Contention

Author's Note: Improfitable Contention

"Choose a suitable design and hold to it" says William Strunk Jr. while E.B. White nods in the (white) background. They make a believable pair, but I'm not wholly convinced. Why commit just half your mind to paper?

Improfitable Contention deliberately goes against a single design, telling of apathy and humanity in a relationship between two brothers. The collection borrows from Loudhailer's momentum to create something strong that's knotted with theories of the human condition.

Ricky is Six (Below!)
Relative Darkness
Tired Boy



RICKY IS SIX

Ricky is this many (he holds up six fingers). Just turned six. He got a baby slugger baseball bat and an Orioles cap for his birthday and he carried them everywhere he went. His real birthday was on Wednesday, earlier in the week, but Ricky's parents are busy so they told his older brother Simon to take care of the celebration. Simon was told to do whatever Ricky wanted all weekend, and Ricky wanted to go to the carnival in town.

Simon is not an altogether unfair brother. He understands that it's Ricky's birthday but his entire weekend will be ruined if he takes Ricky to the carnival all day for both days. He has determined that it's fair if, on the second day, he brings Ricky along to the movie he plans on seeing with friends. It's a violent movie, but he'll find a way to smuggle Ricky in one way or another, even if Ricky doesn't like violent movies.

'God, Ricky. You don't like any of these rides. You won't even go on the Killer Koaster with me. Why did you want to come to the carnival anyway?'

'That's not true, Thimon!' said Ricky. He couldn't say Simon because he was missing two teeth. 'I want to go on the Mirrors Ride!'

'The Mirrors Ride? Do you mean the Hall of Mirrors? That's tame. Let's go on the Dragon Adventure.' said Simon. He had been here all day and was tiring of the kiddie area despite his efforts at enthusiasm. It was getting dark and he would have to take Ricky home soon anyway.

'Just one last ride, Thimon! Let's go on the Mirrors Ride!' said Ricky, persisting.

'Okay, fine, but this is the last one. When we get out of this ride we have to go home or Mom and Dad will be mad, got it?'

'Yes!' said Ricky. He was naturally excited, as any six year old would have been. His older brother was taking him to the Hall of Mirrors.

It isn't a good idea to go to the Hall of Mirrors after dark but the attendants were teenagers who didn't care about the rules. They even let Simon in for free because he was popular in highschool.

'There. The Hall of Mirrors. I'm going to race you, Ricky. We both go inside and see who makes it out first. Ready? Go!' said Simon. Before Ricky knew it, Simon was gone. He had disappeared inside the dark assembly of distorted mirrors.

'You're supposed to stay with me, Thimon!' Said Ricky, but Simon did not reply. Ricky ventured into the Hall of Mirrors alone.

Because of the shapes of the mirrors, Ricky's reflection was twisted and deformed. He knew he looked a lot like Simon in physical features but the mirrors made it impossible to tell whether he was looking at Simon or whether he was looking at a taller, hourglass illusion of himself. Ricky had never been in a Hall of Mirrors before, this was his first time. He bumped into the glass so that his nose tingled with pain and he started to cry.

'Don't cry, Ricky. You're six now. You're not a baby anymore.' came Simon's voice.

'But it's dark and I don't know where you are, Thimon!' replied Ricky. He became increasingly lost. It was dark enough now that the entrance blended perfectly into the seamless black. Only in places did the glass show dim mirror images that jeered at Ricky and frightened him.

'Maybe you are a baby. Are you going to have me hold your hand all your life?' said Simon. 'I'm leaving. If you can't find your way out then you probably deserve to stay here.'

This caused Ricky to cry even more. He wished he had gone on the Dragon Adventure instead. His tears only clouded his vision and turned the reflections into watery monsters.

'Thimon!' he shouted, but Simon didn't answer. He was all alone. Simon probably left out the exit door and was abandoning him in the maze. He could be here for 17 years.

It was this terrible idea that brought even the immature mind of Ricky to the conclusion that he must act for his own survival. He took his baby slugger baseball bat in both hands and started swinging at the glass panes. He had destroyed at least three full panes before he heard Simon shouting.

'Ouch, Ricky stop! You hit me right in the knee!' he said. 'Stop, before you get us both in trouble!'

Ricky smiled. In the pane of mirror that remained he thought he saw himself for the first time.

'Let's go. Quick. The exit is just straight this way.' Simon said. He pulled Ricky out of the mirrored building and into the carnival street.

'Thimon?' Ricky asked.

'What?' Simon replied.

'Mom says we can go to the carnival again tomorrow, and not the movies.'