Wednesday 12 February 2014

The Artist Unleashed: A MAD MAN TRIED TO KILL ME, by Jeremiah Walton

Note from Jessica: Today's guest is very special. You will notice from Jeremiah's bio at the end of the post, that he just graduated high school, but look at everything he is involved in! Please do me a big favour today, and show Jeremiah your support by reading, commenting, and sharing this post through other social media platforms. It is also his birthday today. Happy birthday, Jeremiah!

[disclaimer: coarse language and sexual content]

The lamppost I was leaning against to read was uncomfortable. On The Road was stale. The Walmart lot was empty of shoppers, composed of travelers sleeping, and employees rattling carts.

“I can’t sleep. Want to go for a walk?” she said, pulling her van’s keys round her neck.  

I looked up to Captain getting out of her van. Drew was sleeping, sprawled out. He had claimed my usual nesting place for the night, and I was to sleep with Screw, his cat. (Screw the Cat was his full name.)

“I’m down.” I stood up.  

We set off with no particular destination, talking. Just talking. It is these nights, these moments of conversational labyrinths we all get lost in from time to time. Those moments where calamity is at bay by forces of what? Forces of Self intermingling with others in a beatific fashion, beautiful moments where we feel God, an artist lost in painting, a poet lost in his mad scribble, a serial killer pleasuring himself to remnants, a scientist and discovery, the God-moments are what I live for.

This was a God-moment. This walk.

Miles underway, 2 or 3 a.m., I don’t know, Captain stopped in her tracks, stopping me, no cars were coming either way. “Shh.” I shh-ed. Silence. No, not silence, the gurgling choke of the Earth underwater. We were near a river we couldn’t see. Captain hopped the guard railing, and I followed suit, jumping-half-jogging down a slope littered with trees and prickles and bushes manufactured for catching shoes.

The river swung underneath a bridge, a graffiti-less bridge that was itching to be bombed.

“Goddamn, I’d love to put a spray can to this place. This is a completely blank slate.”

We used my iPod to illuminate the dark, walked our way out the other side of the bridge.

Sitting on the rocks, we talked, and kissed. She took her shirt off, pulled down my pants, kissed, hands around cock, kissed, there’s a black hole inside her that is eating at me so pleasantly, this wonderful woman beyond my sexual experiences.

I did not love her, no, not yet. We hadn’t made love. Fucking and making love are not the same. I did not love her, as a human being yet. Cared about? Yes, deeply, but loved?

No, not yet.

We finished up, clambering our way back up the slope, walking back towards the cars.

The walk there was about an hour, the walk back, maybe two. We had to dodge the sight of every car that drove by, dipping off into bushes or trees or diving to the ground, because if they saw us, we’d surely die, and lose the game.  

We arrive at the cars, and Captain realizes she has left her keys back under the bridge. The cold was chilling, and we opened the trunk (the lock does not operate) to retrieve warmer layers. Drew was still sleeping. We whispered quietly to avoid waking him.

I believe that was her first mistake, and maybe my fifth or six, in interactions with Drew this trip.

We walked back and retried the keys, they were next to the rock she was kneeling on. We began trudging back up the slope, my phone rang, it was Drew.

“Hello?”


“Where are you?”

“Walking back towards the cars right now.”

“Where are you?”

“Hand me the phone,” Captain said.

I handed it to her, leaning against a tree for support.  

“We’re walking out of the woods towards the highway that goes past the Wal-Mart. We went for a walk.”

He hung up.  

We got back on the road, and resumed walking back towards the cars. I should have picked up on the anger in his voice, or some sort of indicator that he was furious, because when he pulled up beside us, smashing on the brakes, stopping a couple feet away from us, exiting his car with full fury, his face hunched forward so it was level with mine, brawling towards me, “you think it’s okay to take my little sister for a walk at 4 in the fucking morning?” Captain stepped forward and he shoved her to the side, his body slamming towards me.

I turned and booked shit. 

“Drew! What the hell are you doing? STOP!” Captain screamed.

I darted across the road, Drew
behind me, running into a field. I was thinking, shit no that’s stupid, don’t go away from the road, stay as public as possible, find help, find help. I darted left, running parallel to the road, Drew swooping after me, hell’s fury under his heavy boots, “shit shit shit”, autopilot, thoughts moving too fast.


“DREW STOP IT!” screamed Captain. I jumped into the road, Captain running after Drew chasing after me bulleting towards cars like mad.  

We weaved in and out of cars with sleepy drivers dragging eighty miles per hour behind them.

I heard a car door slam and turned my head, slowing my run. Drew was back in his car. I couldn’t hear what Captain and him were saying. I was breathing heavily.

Captain jumped on the hood of his car, started screaming.  

I couldn’t hear what they were saying.

She jumped off, began screaming into the window, I could see the swells of anger in her cheeks from her. She reached in and slapped Drew.  

He sped off, furious.
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Many people dream of hitting the road, and traveling cross country. In our dreams, we don't include the dangers of hunger, gangs, the cold, the long waits for a ride to pick you up in the rain when hitchhiking, the dangers of other humans. These dreams are still worth having, as any dream is. Have you ever thought about hitting the road? Where would you go?
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Connect with Jeremiah:

Jeremiah Walton graduated high school the spring of 2013, and hit the road hitchhiking the following fall, hunting open mics and slams, aiming to broaden the poetic community and promote passionate living.  Jeremiah manages Nostrovia! Poetry, W.I.S.H. Publishing, The Traveling Poet, and works as an editor at UndergroundBooks. He blogs at Gatsby’s Abandoned Children, where most of his books are free to read.
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18 comments:

  1. How thrilling and unnerving at same time. Thanks for sharing. You lead an interesting writing life, Jeremiah.

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    1. I just kind of haphazardly run around exploding and doing what I can. Glad it struck the right spot with you, cheers!

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    2. I just kind of haphazardly run around exploding and doing what I can. Glad it struck the right spot with you, cheers!

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  2. Wow, this is powerful writing, Jeremiah - you're definitely one to watch in future! Good luck with all your writing activities, and keep going - this is a fabulous era in which to be a writer, with digital technology able to put you right in front of your audience (a benefit Kerouac never had!) Happy birthday for yesterday too!

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  3. What an intense piece Jeremiah, you grabbed my attention and held it until the end. I only wish there was more to read. Thank you for sharing with us and Belated Happy Birthday. Safe travels and keep writing!

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    1. All of my publications are available free online at Gatsby's Abandoned Children, my personal site. I have an upcoming collection of poems titled Witch-hunting Gatsby's Children if you're interested! Shoot me an email, and I can send it your way!

      www.jeremiahwaltonnostroviapoetry.wordpress.com

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  4. Some really great lines in there, and a captivating subject. Can't wait to see what inspiration your travels give you!

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    1. I'm currently stagnant in a dead pond, but humans are luckily the greatest writing prompt. Thanks for reading and the kind words. Cheers!

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  5. Nice to meet you, Jeremiah. Very cool that you're writing. A lot of people say they want to write but don't actually do it.
    Glad you made it through the angry brother experience!

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    1. Holy hell, am I glad I made it too. This led to a sequence of less than safe events, that I have yet to be able to communicate the urgency of through prose. Poetry is where that slab of meat in my chest lies. I'm glad you dug the piece Theresa, cheers!

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  6. Love your God moments! And your creative enthusiasm. Stay safe, young man! (Sorry, that's the mom in me speaking) Happy Birthday!

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    1. Ahahah don't apologize. We all should have a little bit of Mom in us for our fellow people. Thanks for the birthday wishes, cheers!

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  7. I'm still laughing at Screw the Cat - ha! Some great writing in here, and just out of high school. Keep writing! And thank you for sharing.

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    1. I laughed when I was introduced to the cat as well ahah I'm glad you dig it. If you're interested in some of my other pieces, I post regularly at Gatsby's Abandoned Children

      www.jeremiahwaltonnostroviapoetry.wordpress.com

      Cheers!

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  8. Lots of creativity here, Jeremiah. The tone is well done, too. I love your character names, especially that cat. Haha! It gives character and individuality to your piece, which has loads of promise. Oh, and Happy Belated B-day!!!

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    1. For the most part, except for the man, those are all the actual names of the people involved. I'm glad you dig it, cheers! And thanks for the birthday wish!

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  9. Wow! What a gorgeous writing style you have! I really like this part, "...beautiful moments where we feel God, an artist lost in painting, a poet lost in his mad scribble, a serial killer pleasuring himself to remnants, a scientist and discovery, the God-moments are what I live for." and the black hole? Very evocative!

    Keep up the great work, and best of luck to you, Jeremiah! Thanks for stopping by~ <3

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    1. I'm truly thankful for your kind words :) Thanks for reading, and I'm glad you dug the piece. Cheers!

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“I'm using my art to comment on what I see. You don't have to agree with it.” ~John Mellencamp

“Allowing an unimportant mistake to pass without comment is a wonderful social grace” ~Judith S. Marin

“I don't ever try to make a serious social comment.” ~Paul McCartney

“I'd make a comment at a meeting and nobody would even acknowledge me. Then some man would say the same thing and they'd all nod.” ~Charlotte Bunch

“Probably what my comment meant was that I don't care about the circumstances if I can tell the truth.” ~Sally Kirkland

“We're not going to pay attention to the silliness and the petty comments. And quite frankly, women have joined me in this effort, and so it's not about appearances. It's about effectiveness.” ~Katherine Harris