6 Sentences

by David Gianatasio

The first sentence was suspended (above a pit of rosebuds, which despite the symbolic significance, quickly grew tiresome and painful). The second sentence was thrown out; it hurt like hell crashing through that glass and squashing those lawyers who'd gathered to smoke on the courthouse steps. The third sentence was home detention -- but it wasn't MY home, and I didn't recognize any of the people in the photos on the mantle, which only exacerbated my agitation and unease. The fourth sentence was exile; that was cool, I'd always wanted to visit Bavaria to indulge my taste for bratwurst. The fifth sentence was death, and the bailiff giggled as he whispered in my ear, "If you're lucky, you'll come back as a clam." The sixth sentence was life: I'm doomed to wander with roses sticking out of my ears, stinking of bratwurst and scampi, with no memory of what I'd done to deserve such a fate.

6S

David Gianatasio's first book of fiction and commentary, Swift Kicks, was published this year by So New Publishing.