First let me get this out of the way, I don’t claim to be a writer.
This project began as an outline for self portaits (photographs) that I wanted to make about sex, sadness and being a superhero. As I started making notes, they slowly turned into short stories. The first seven stories were turned into hand-bound booklets called CAKE WALK. That can be purchased HERE.
I’d also like to give a big thank you to Jon Kinnally for all of his support, as well as his incredible editing and profreading skills.
This project began as an outline for self portaits (photographs) that I wanted to make about sex, sadness and being a superhero. As I started making notes, they slowly turned into short stories. The first seven stories were turned into hand-bound booklets called CAKE WALK. That can be purchased HERE.
I’d also like to give a big thank you to Jon Kinnally for all of his support, as well as his incredible editing and profreading skills.
Good To Go
The Oatmeal Boy
Colonel Mustard
Señor Wolff
New Wave
Learning To Fly
The Accidental Fister
First Time
The Oatmeal Boy
Colonel Mustard
Señor Wolff
New Wave
Learning To Fly
The Accidental Fister
First Time
Señor Wolff
It started with a dream.
I was standing in a house deep in the countryside. The decor was simple and from another era, far back in the past. To the right was a door, the only one, and in front of me was a large window with plain curtains pulled back on either side. Through the window, far in the distance, I could see a large and luscious tree. I stood alone in the room, or so I thought, squinting at the outline of the leaves and the strong branches that held them up. I then noticed that I wasn’t alone in the room. A wolf approached me from behind. He was dark with short fur and he smelled like fresh leaves. The smell was comforting and I felt safe in his presence. He was familiar and I knew sometime before that we had spoken, but we had never met. Only in this dream.
The story he told me was a tale of love. He spoke in a language that I did not understand. The sounds he made were unintelligible, but I understood their meanings as he whispered them into my ear. His warm breath on the back of my neck made me feel dizzy, in the best of ways.
---
Two boys wandered through the forest looking for a tree. A tree that many stories had been told about. It was not the oldest tree in the forest nor was it the tallest, but the fact was that this tree always remained green, full of bright, blowing leaves and warm bark. Even in the height of winter when cold death blew through the mountains and all was barren and grey, this tree remained lustrous in a shade of green so remarkable that it is hard to believe that the color itself existed. Birds sang in its limbs and its leaves fluttered with the same grace as the butterflies that maneuvered through them.
The legend was that this tree fed on true love, (or more correctly, on the blood of true lovers).
The two boys knew they had to find this tree. Together. They had been the best of friends for many years. Their families lived side by side. They went to school together. They took vacations together. They shared a bond similar to that of brothers. Stronger than brothers.
Neither of them would admit to the other, or anyone, but they knew, or thought they knew of their love for each other. Pure and innocent love. Their fear kept it burrowed deep inside. If they found this tree, and the stories were true, then perhaps …
On an autumn day when the air was crisp and fresh, they went for a walk into the forest. It was a day of change. The leaves had just turned brilliant shades of orange and red and had begun to fall as the trees were preparing for a rest, only to be brought to life again in the springtime. It seemed like a good day for a walk.
After a few hours wandering through the forest they decided to rest. They laid on their backs, looking at the sky through the branches, heads touching. After a few minutes of silence and following the clouds passing over, they saw something being softly carried by afternoon winds. A leaf. A beautiful bright green leaf. And another.
The boys jumped to their feet and looked in the direction where the leaf came from. They saw another. Their eyes began to water from the cool air coming towards them. Or was it something else?
They began to joyfully laugh, and then ran towards the line of fresh greens leaves that were floating above their heads.
After a few minutes of zigzagging through the old grey sleeping trees, they saw it. Magnificent. A tree so vibrant and alive against a dull background of winding branches and cloudy sky.
The boys stood at the foot of the tree, staring in awe. It was true, the color was unbelievable and the sound of the wind passing through the leaves created songs that filled the heart with joy, as well as broke it. They were not sure at all if this was real or if it was part of the dream.
This tree seemed alive. Breathing. Moving. Human.
Slowly it seemed that the tree began to reach down with its strong limbs. In fact it did. Like the arms of a new mother picking up her baby for the first time, it grabbed the boys, pulling them high up above the ground where they were once firmly standing.
Smaller branches began to caress the boys. Gently at first, but then with more intent. The branches began to pull at their clothes, removing them and discarding them to the ground. The boys tried to struggle and escape but their efforts proved to be worthless. The branches then began to cut at their skin with a clumsy precision. Soon their flesh was being pulled from their bones almost without effort. But they felt no pain. Not in their skin, not in their bodies, not in their bones.
Only for one moment. A second, perhaps less than a second, they felt a pain so intense that they never could have imagined it existed – a pain so deep in their heart as they took one last look into each other’s eyes. It was a pain that anyone who has been in love was familiar with. Now they knew that the legend of this tree was true. They knew that their love for each other was real. But they felt a deeper pain when they realized they had let fear hide the love in their hearts. From their hearts. This was the most horrible part of all.
Within moments they were nothing more than bones. Their flesh had fallen and was caught by the birds and animals that live in the tree. Nothing was wasted. Their bones began to brown, and more bones, smaller bones grew from them, and as if it were a miracle, leaves began to sprout. Soon the boys, their bones, were joined together with this majestic tree. This tree that kept the secrets of so many stories of true love and loss.
---
When I woke up I wasn’t certain what was or wasn’t real. Was that a dream, or did I actually travel to this place? As I slowly came back into consciousness I noticed my eyes were wet with tears, and it took me some time to realize that I was back in my bed. Alone.
It started with a dream.
I was standing in a house deep in the countryside. The decor was simple and from another era, far back in the past. To the right was a door, the only one, and in front of me was a large window with plain curtains pulled back on either side. Through the window, far in the distance, I could see a large and luscious tree. I stood alone in the room, or so I thought, squinting at the outline of the leaves and the strong branches that held them up. I then noticed that I wasn’t alone in the room. A wolf approached me from behind. He was dark with short fur and he smelled like fresh leaves. The smell was comforting and I felt safe in his presence. He was familiar and I knew sometime before that we had spoken, but we had never met. Only in this dream.
The story he told me was a tale of love. He spoke in a language that I did not understand. The sounds he made were unintelligible, but I understood their meanings as he whispered them into my ear. His warm breath on the back of my neck made me feel dizzy, in the best of ways.
---
Two boys wandered through the forest looking for a tree. A tree that many stories had been told about. It was not the oldest tree in the forest nor was it the tallest, but the fact was that this tree always remained green, full of bright, blowing leaves and warm bark. Even in the height of winter when cold death blew through the mountains and all was barren and grey, this tree remained lustrous in a shade of green so remarkable that it is hard to believe that the color itself existed. Birds sang in its limbs and its leaves fluttered with the same grace as the butterflies that maneuvered through them.
The legend was that this tree fed on true love, (or more correctly, on the blood of true lovers).
The two boys knew they had to find this tree. Together. They had been the best of friends for many years. Their families lived side by side. They went to school together. They took vacations together. They shared a bond similar to that of brothers. Stronger than brothers.
Neither of them would admit to the other, or anyone, but they knew, or thought they knew of their love for each other. Pure and innocent love. Their fear kept it burrowed deep inside. If they found this tree, and the stories were true, then perhaps …
On an autumn day when the air was crisp and fresh, they went for a walk into the forest. It was a day of change. The leaves had just turned brilliant shades of orange and red and had begun to fall as the trees were preparing for a rest, only to be brought to life again in the springtime. It seemed like a good day for a walk.
After a few hours wandering through the forest they decided to rest. They laid on their backs, looking at the sky through the branches, heads touching. After a few minutes of silence and following the clouds passing over, they saw something being softly carried by afternoon winds. A leaf. A beautiful bright green leaf. And another.
The boys jumped to their feet and looked in the direction where the leaf came from. They saw another. Their eyes began to water from the cool air coming towards them. Or was it something else?
They began to joyfully laugh, and then ran towards the line of fresh greens leaves that were floating above their heads.
After a few minutes of zigzagging through the old grey sleeping trees, they saw it. Magnificent. A tree so vibrant and alive against a dull background of winding branches and cloudy sky.
The boys stood at the foot of the tree, staring in awe. It was true, the color was unbelievable and the sound of the wind passing through the leaves created songs that filled the heart with joy, as well as broke it. They were not sure at all if this was real or if it was part of the dream.
This tree seemed alive. Breathing. Moving. Human.
Slowly it seemed that the tree began to reach down with its strong limbs. In fact it did. Like the arms of a new mother picking up her baby for the first time, it grabbed the boys, pulling them high up above the ground where they were once firmly standing.
Smaller branches began to caress the boys. Gently at first, but then with more intent. The branches began to pull at their clothes, removing them and discarding them to the ground. The boys tried to struggle and escape but their efforts proved to be worthless. The branches then began to cut at their skin with a clumsy precision. Soon their flesh was being pulled from their bones almost without effort. But they felt no pain. Not in their skin, not in their bodies, not in their bones.
Only for one moment. A second, perhaps less than a second, they felt a pain so intense that they never could have imagined it existed – a pain so deep in their heart as they took one last look into each other’s eyes. It was a pain that anyone who has been in love was familiar with. Now they knew that the legend of this tree was true. They knew that their love for each other was real. But they felt a deeper pain when they realized they had let fear hide the love in their hearts. From their hearts. This was the most horrible part of all.
Within moments they were nothing more than bones. Their flesh had fallen and was caught by the birds and animals that live in the tree. Nothing was wasted. Their bones began to brown, and more bones, smaller bones grew from them, and as if it were a miracle, leaves began to sprout. Soon the boys, their bones, were joined together with this majestic tree. This tree that kept the secrets of so many stories of true love and loss.
---
When I woke up I wasn’t certain what was or wasn’t real. Was that a dream, or did I actually travel to this place? As I slowly came back into consciousness I noticed my eyes were wet with tears, and it took me some time to realize that I was back in my bed. Alone.