THE DUMP


by Michael McLaughlin


Menlo Park, California 1963

     Here in the ‘61 Ford Ranchero , shale and silica king of ship, skipper of the drive. Burlap sacks subdued the sky old ski chains. Blackberry vines except for seagulls other traffic, Three in One Oil , toyon, madrone. Grit, old tumble tub cement tire tetherball stand. Five years of Sunset magazines. Not until the other garbage cars had sorted themselves out could we steer the pick up in. What grandpa'd bought for the People’s warehouse to move pianos, Klamath Falls, Oregon. “Leave the driving to us” Bekins man. A fist some dollar bills, "It’s by the square yard." "You shouldn't be in the back like that, kid."

     Curtain rod, Christmas tree yellow jacket sulfur, bamboo the flies got thick. Power towers and lines another Great Blue Heron Miles of pickleweed, Marlon Perkins , his mustache, muskrat den.

     “Sweep out the back, hurry up now, let’s make some time. It’s Sunday. People want our spot .”

     I'm old enough, you say, not to fall out rusty stingray, tire flat, a yellow fridge. Hydrangea, old lady petticoat washing machine, ripped off dryer door like 2nd grade safety filmstrip , “Kids don't lock yourself in and suffocate,”“Duck and Cover” Sputnik overhead. Motor whine, shift lawn clipping mounds like the gophers make cuttings, drift after drift after drift. ‘'Cept for the smell, you never want to leave Space Race we've long since lost, “Head for the hills,” Hills Brothers coffee can. Marichal , McCovey, Mays, the Chronicle's sporting green, clothes you might want to keep this cold autumn pickup bed. Short broom handle secure cab blast of too much heat. I can live forever, longer than anyone, you rap rear cab window, okay, thumb up I indicate (the back’s where I belong, better like this). Prickers from blackberry no tweezers. Windy tears use your teeth instead.

      Pyracantha yellow squashed red berry drunk robin orange breast red .

     Steel slugs dime-sized easier than rubbed down pennies. Vending machines with fifth grade kids. Gray coast range bay fill shoreline black.

     Sun setting East bay aluminum end-of-weekend-October night .

     Those days the dump was open all day Sunday--Marsh Rd exit, Miniature Golf, windmill off 101 .

     Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom In the bed of the Ford Ranchero new blue jacket with fresh rip, two new grease stains.

     --You, me, the dump, dad. Even then.



When development comes in at noon, research has already been at work a half day. Thats good! If it were the other way around, things would not be fully extended, function wise and would easily break, would not last long, but would keep garbage men in business. That's why it is called R&D and not D&R. Want some "R"??


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