A whole different world

"Excuse me... sir?  Ma'am?  Would you please step this way?"  The TSA agent beckoned to the newlyweds.  "Random security check."

"Random my ass." grumbled the young man.

"Quiet, honey.  I'm sure it's nothing." said his bride calmly.

The agents began rummaging through their luggage, carelessly tossing aside expensive jewelry and silk garments.

"It's because we're Arabic, isn't it?"  said the young man accusingly.

"Aladdin!" his wife scolded.

"I know you've been sheltered all your life sweetie, but this is how the world is." Aladdin said irritably.

"Sir, would you mind explaining what this is?" the agent pulled out a spouted brass pot.  "A gravy boat?"

"It's a lamp." Aladdin said tersely.

The agent shook it "Is it empty?"

"No, but-"

"I'm gonna have to confiscate this.  No liquids over three ounces aboard the aircraft."  The agent casually tossed the lamp into a bin.

"Be careful with that!"  Aladdin grabbed the lamp and the agent tried to snatch it back.  Instantly smoke poured onto the concourse.

"Security alert!  POssible bomb in corridor E!"  Sirens wailed and panic struck the line of travelers. 

"Master!" Boomed an ominous voice through the smoke.  "What is your will?" 

"For the love of Allah!"  moaned Aladdin. 

"What the hell is that?"  asked the frightened TSA agent. 

"It's my genie." Aladdin explained.  "he lives in the lamp."

The agent slowly pulled out her mobile phone and snapped a picture of the ethereal being.  "You're gonna have to buy an extra ticket for him."

Wrirting prompt using the phrase "I have no filter"

I have no filter.  And the sweating!  It's totally disgusting.  I can't stop myself from saying what's on my mind, but I can still hear myself say the stupid shit that pours from my mouth like vapid diarrhea.  Once I realize what I'm saying I get all embarrassed and just start sweating.  Why couldn't I be one of those girls who get that cute rosy blush.  Nope.  I'm a sweater.  Face, pits, cleavage sweat.  Last week I was at this dinner party talking to some Israeli guy when i realized i was talking about persecuted Palestinians.    When I got home there was a big sweaty butt print on the back of my cocktail dress.

It's even worse when i catch myself doing it and try to stop.  then I can only think about all the things I could have said that were worse.  Like, I was on this date with a really hot guy and I realized I had been talking for twenty minutes about the infection my mom got after her knee surgery.  I tried to gracefully segue out of it by finding something related but not as gross, and I ended up talking about the results of my fertility test and how I wanted to have kids with him. 

My mom says "Thank goodness you're pretty." But the thing is I'm smart too.  I know a lot of interesting things.  I'm a nuclear physicist for crying out loud.  I just have no filter. 

The missing pieces

Every time I wake up a new piece is missing.  Sometimes it's a fingernail or a chunk of hair.  Sometimes it's a finger or an ear.  I have no idea how long I sleep.  I rarely dream.  I have no idea how many nights I've slept.  How long I've been here.  I try to keep track, but consciousness fades in and out.  When I sleep I don't want to awaken to the nightmare.  When I'm awake I don't want to sleep for fear of what will be left of me when I wake.  The pain is so constant that i sometimes forget that it's there.  Just like I've forgotten my name, or anything outside this room.

Across America

This is it. 
The way it should be. 
Driving across america. 
The two of us. 
Free-roamers. 
Pick up and leave. 
Go where the wind takes us. 
Through Pennsylvania mountains and golden wheat fields.
With our backs to the wind.
A bowl with a little blue fish in a ziplock bag filled with water sitting in my lap
I'm in pajamas, my "traveling clothes"
The lyrics to Wagon Wheel in my head. 
I know I was born to be a Carolina Belle
And in my heart, no matter where I live, I always will be.

The Fighting Man

I flung him into the filing cabinet, my fists shaking with a rage i had never felt before.  All our years together in the ring man-on-man had never yielded such animosity as I felt now. 

"How could you?  How could you do this to me?"  I howled as I flung him against the desk.  Carbon paper spilled to the floor and i heard a loud clacking sound as his head hit the keys of a typewriter.  My manager had always said to me before a fight, "Coburn, you punch.  You punch hard.  You're not a boxer, you're a puncher.  Get that through your thick head."  Tonight I finally did.

Despite my trade I never had anger management issues.  Not even working my shit job as a clerk, pushing brooms and carrying groceries for stuck-up assholes.  But tonight I learned the meaning of the word 'anger'. 

"Years of playin' in fixed fights kept me from hittin' the big time." I snarled through hits.  "I never had the heart to tell you before.  You ain't shit, Juan.  They keep you around 'cause of that pretty face.  You think you're hot.  You may be the face of boxing today, but let's see how hot you're gonna be after today."

I heard a clatter of things in the hallway.  Probably the janitor.  He was no stranger to brutality.  I kept throwing my fists against Juan's body.  I felt bones crack, and warm, sticky blood flowed across my hands.  Normally I'd be hearing a crowd cheering, but all I could hear was the echo of my baby's screams and the sounds of Juan's pleasure. 

"I told you to stay away from her, pretty boy.  She ain't gonna want you now.  Look at you.  Can't even hold your own in a fight that ain't fixed.  Little bastard.  You stay away form her!"

Juan stared at my in horror, his face contorted and discolored by my fists.  His eyes seemed to look right through me.  I became aware of another presence in the room.  Sobbing and pleading. 

"Daddy, stop!"

I turned around and there was Molly in her pink dress, tears streaming down her face.

"Baby... " I reached a blood-covered hand toward her and she turned and ran.

A Vacation to Heal

No tears for you
No tears for me
Let this vacation be tear-free

A sandy climb
A sunny time
Splash in waters clear and fine

A Sensory Anticipation of Fall

Blueberry pie
Oktoberfest ale
pumpkin spice cookies with raisins
Sugar cookies
Potato soup
Mushrooms with wild rice
cookies and cream
champagne and peaches
maple and whisky
hamburgers with bacon and blue cheese
peppermint patties
Grilled corn on the cob
Fish on an open flame
crisp, tangy apples