Longer Duties …

  

B.J. and the A.C. - Variations on Relations

'Forward, forward, and never look back!'

All of a sudden, the llama's voice sounds through the penthouse on top of the apartment bulding on 666 Whitaker Lane in Bromford the friendly town by the shore and seaside.

Hastily I enter the living room.

The llama is sitting on the couch chewing on a wooden pencil. It is wearing a pair of glasses and seems to be writing down something.

'Ah, my dude, Bromford", it says, 'Quick! Tell me another word for justice!'

'An other word for justice?' I ask only a little bit confused.

'Yeah, dude. Or an other word for law or enforcement or law enforcement.'

'May I ask, why?' I ask. 'Are you in trouble, animal?'

'No', the animal says. 'Can't you see? I am writing a screenplay for a television sitcom. Well, it may also become a script for an off-off-broadway theatrical play.'

'Oh, no!' Did I say or think that?

'It will be the story about a country-boy who has to come to town to fullfill his jury duties in court. I will call it The Rural Juror. It is set in a big apartment in Appletown shared by a bunch of twenty-somethings as flat mates.'

'Flatmates?' I ask. 'So they are sharing the apartment and the rent, right?'

'No', the llama says. 'They are mates and they are very, very flat, always close to the ground. And they are making a tv show like a comedy show - let's say Tuesday Night Live. And they are cooks and singer / songwriters and actors and something with business. And they have a neighbour who always enters the apartment with a big bang as an entrance. And the blonde girl, Jenny or Phoenix, will have to sing a song about it, a great musical number. About the jury duty or about a smelly cat.'

'Sounds familiar', I say, 'especially the title The Rural Juror. And it sounds somehow mixed up at the same time. Are you sure these are all you own ideas?'

'Ah, bite me, dude', the animal says. 'Forget about it. I have already lost interest. Will you bring me a beer now?'

'A beer?' I ask.

'Yes, a beer. Do you have any objections?'

'Since when do you drink beer?'

'Beer is vegan, isn't it?' the animal says. 'At least when brewed after the German Purity Order of 1516 everybody likes to call the Reinheitsgebot.'

'OK', I say. 'Would you like a glass or a bottle?'

'I'll take a keg, thank you. And I will take it from Speedy's cellar. Here, catch!'

The llama throws scribbling block and pencil through the living room in my direction and has left the penthouse within the blink of an eye leaving me frowning and wondering as ever.

 And the fortune cookie says,

 

Does the choice

you made

fit your life?

 

Today is Tuesday, the 8^th of September 2020.