Calumet & Calumet

The event occurred on the corner of Calumet and Calumet, the place where the street meets itself. The bells ringing from The Mission signaled six o’clock. I looked up to glimpse those bells clanging high in the tower. As I turned back to the sunset I was startled by a couple walking past me in the opposite direction. To my great surprise the man in the passing couple was, indeed, myself.
I looked a few years older, or maybe a few years younger, I really couldn’t be sure. There was a  young lady walking with me whom I haven’t met or have forgotten altogether. I stopped and followed myself with my eyes.
This was most certainly myself that had just passed me on the street, but how is that possible? I had no way of rationalizing it, yet there it was actually happening at that very second. I could not look away.
Just as I began to accept this oddity, I called out to myself,
“Hey, asshole! Take a picture, it’ll last longer. Fucking creep,” and I continued around the corner.
Absolute rage. I very nearly ran to fight this other person too rude to be myself. But I remained in place, cooled then chilled by the idea I might kill myself. I tried to calm down. Clumsily, through confusion and anxiety, I came to the conclusion that it was pretty rude of me to just stare at myself like that; I must have thought I was staring at the girl. The shouting made me feel bad, like after yelling at a child. I took a moment to reflect on what had just transpired on the corner of Calumet and Calumet
Years on, I’ve forgotten which myself I was on the corner at one minute after six in the evening on that suddenly strange day.

TERMINATION

From: Alice ->-mandateandmetastisis@gmail.com-<-
Date: Mon, May 30, 2011 at 5:18 AM
Subject: Termination
To: Alex Wiles ->-A.Wiles@gmail.com-<-




Dear Mr. Wiles,
I regret to inform you that your position with Bomb Bridge Coffee is terminated effective immediately. I am changing the direction of the business. Please remove all your personal property from Bomb Bridge Coffee and leave your key by the cash register. Your final paycheck will be at Bomb Bridge Coffee in an envelope with your name by the blue and red folders today at 8pm.


Thank you for all your efforts and best of luck to you in the future.


Respectfully,


Alice Craftsman
Owner, Bomb Bridge Coffee


Sent from my iPhone