At four o'clock Pegasus rose like a Phoenix from the remains of Medusa's burning ashes. If Pegasus had not risen, it would not have flown past the clock tower, and if it hadn't flown past the clock tower, it would not have noticed a man with green suspenders and a ski mask hanging from the hour hand.
Pegasus hovered before the dangling man and asked, are you in trouble, may I be of service? The man grew angry and shouted back,
"Oh no, I don't need help, I'm just here hanging out!"
The winged horse blinked, he was of a breed that was easily offended and he didn't think the man was in a position to be indignant, still, he ignored the man's irony and replied,
"Well I wasn't sure since you seem quite calm."
"Oh that, well it's only 4:30 p.m. right now so I'm fine, why worry about what you can't control? As long as I remain still, I won't be going anywhere. There will be plenty of time to worry at five when I'll probably begin to slip off the hour hand, but until then, why fret?
"I see," started Pegasus, "you'll slip off the hour hand and down below onto the pavement. That wouldn't be good. What would you like me to do?"
"Well rescue me of course. And while I'm poor and cannot repay you or make you a Prince like in fairy tales, you will have a great story to tell your children."
"Oh, I'm glad you mentioned that because I was about to get to that point...that is, What's in it for me?"
"But now of course I have shown you the intrinsic value and having been enlightened, you'll be helping me down any second now won't you!"
"Well, see that is the thing. An opportunity like this doesn't come along all that often, in fact, once in a lifetime I'd say. It's not like I fly by here everyday and find someone just dangling in the wind, I need to think. By the way mister, how'd you get in such a predicament?"
"What is there to think about?" The man asked, trying to remain calm? As for my predicament, well I fell. I was trying to get into the tower, why is not of your concern, but when the clock struck noon. The horizontally aligned hands of the clock nearly impaled me, and I'd be a stain down there on the pavement had the hour hand not caught me by the suspenders...Pure chance of course.
"Well," began Pegasus. "It might be pure chance, or maybe it's Karma, destiny or fate. You can't make blanket statements about life."
The man looked bored and impatiently waited for the horse to finish speaking,
"So? Are you going to help me Mr. Horse?"
"Well, it isn't a simple thing. Rescuing you will take time, and any man of business will tell you, "Time is money. Why just talking to you these last few minutes may have cost me dozens, nay, hundreds of dollars. Then there is the risk to take into consideration. And there is risk you
know! What if, at the moment I lift you, the hour hand moves from three to four and smashes on top of my head? I could be seriously injured. And that isn't all, it seems only fair that there be a mileage charge...I am after-all, not made of money.
Besides, you look rather heavy and I believe I'd exert a lot of energy carrying you safely to the ground. A mileage fee would reimburse me for my strenuous efforts. Also there is the risk that after I make such a magnanimous gesture, you make wake up with a stiff neck or an aching back and try to blame me. It's been done before you know! A guy helps a lady out of a burning car and she sues him for whiplash. I think it only fair that before I help you, that you should sign a waiver."
"A waiver?" shouted the hanging man..."OK whatever, I'll sign your silly waiver."
"Well it's not so easy as all that," spoke the Pegasus, his right wing scratching his chin. "First I need to get an attorney to work up the papers, then after you sign I'll need a notary public to affix his seal, making it official. That takes money mister. Not all of us can just hang around all day...some of us have to work for a living!"
"OK, OK, I promise I won't sue...lets shake on it and that will be a binding agreement."
"We'll need a witness?" Insisted the winged horse, looking around.
"I know!" the man spoke excitedly, a light bulb flashing above his head. He then pointed to the face of the clock and said, "Let Father Time be the Witness!"
Pegasus thought for a moment and then said, "That's good by me, the old man's always been a trustworthy fellow." He then proffered his front left hoof for the man to shake. It was a majestic scene, one that should have been photographed and put on the cover of Life magazine...or maybe painted on a Church ceiling; and who knows, it might have happened, except just as they were about to shake hands, the clock dial moved forward by one digit to five o'clock. The suspended man slowly started to slide down the hour hand, "Help me!" he said, lunging for the hoof of the winged equine.
"Well you certainly seem in a hurry all of a sudden!" offered Pegasus, who now himself seemed to be in no hurry.
"Please, I'll give you anything..."
"Anything?" questioned Pegasus. "Would you give me your dignity, your soul, the lives of your wife and children? Would you give up your freedom and live as a slave? Allow the damnation of all the innocent on earth? Would you give me all of that, so that you may live?
The suspended slipped closer to the end of the hour hand and cried desperately, "Yes, yes, I'll give it all to you, take them all, do what you will, if you'll just save me!"
Pegasus looked hard at the man and then as the suspenders. They slipped further, to within six inches, then four, then two and then...The man fell. He waved his arms wildly, trying to grab what did not exist, and he slowly became an ant in size; his shrill screams fading to nothing. The horse watched as the man hit the pavement below and spoke but two words,
"Wrong answer."
He reared back on his hind legs, as if on land, and he flew off toward his small, but humble abode between the constellations, Andromeda and Pisces. There his loving family awaited...gifts that no man could bargain away from him, not even Father Time.
Author notes
A little bat named Bert stole my pocket change. Who'd a thunk it?
`
Comments
1 - 16 of 16
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Bleeding awesome. That's all I can say.
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A modern day fable with some mythical lure? I like it. Whatever editing's have been done to this point have tweaked the story well. At first I thought it was just going to be about the trivial cautions we take these days but the ending added so much more than that. The lengths we go to save our own skin is sometimes troubling. As C.S Lewis said "You don't have a soul, you have a body, you are a soul." Obviously the suspender man was more worried about the exterior.
A few things to help your editing process: dang;ling - not sure if the semi-colon was intentional or not, in the 12th paragraph it should be horizontally and caught, and lastly in the 24th paragraph it should be except.
An intelligent piece with some good humour, as I said, I like it. -
Maybe he deserved to fall. First he thought of cheating time, then he would give up his family for his own safety, nah, definitely not a good soul. Now it was ironic that Pegasus took his time to offer him a solution. My guess is that he noticed the man's arrogance from the start and kind of knew how it'd end.
I enjoyed the dialogue you created here, and all the legal issues.
You see my love, you are an incredible writer with a huge creativity. This side of yours doesn't deserve to be in obscurity
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Oh, my, Yem! Once again your humour has prevailed and caused me to crack a smile on a day that smiling has been disallowed by adolescent hormones!
Sir Hugh is Mari's father? You are an amazing writer, I must say. And I feel ever so honoured to be on your favourites list! So, thank you!
Elisa
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this is a really great poem and i loved it you are a great writer and this is a great write loved it keep it up!!! i really enjoyed reading this thanx for sharing with all of us here at allpoetry
love ya
~*becca*~
you are a great writer
keep up the great and awesumly awesum work!!! -
Impassioned
I've found in my travels that almost anything is edible with enough butter and garlic. Different folk have different preferences, it may be better to go with the flow and not ask questions. I like your verse, well done.
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Dear dad,
thanks for making Yem see
that frog legs aren't nasty.
He needs to accurate his taste
to food or buy a stronger toothpaste.
How rude to say he'll not kiss me
as if I had some kind of halitosis!
He can better get used with the tiny legs
before I start to feel like preparing scramble eggs
With love,
tu hija
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You eat the most weird food combination and now you make a 'vies' face to frog legs?! My dear, you need to learn what a fine cuisine is
Better kiss me after I've eaten frog legs
then to kiss frog lips, in other hand the frog might be
a female and change into a princess.
Hey, that is a thought!
I'll cook you the best frog legs ever.
I'm sure you'll not only kiss me with ardor
but you are goiing to lick your fingers too. -
Oh and Merry to you also and ahhhh...
I used to celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas way back when I was with Alan and Oh, I, those were the days....
Anyway, aah poor Ralph, but what a job, maybe he out to get some help, y'know? That's gotta be a Lotta kids all day, everyday at Macy's!
anywayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy,
Happy Holidaysies to you too and may be hre a bit, but...aaah, still so much going on, ah life!
ah, mi!
s
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p.s.
I misseth thee
y
mari also
may be away for a week or so...
don't know yet, sigh and oh oh Ohhhhhhhhh!
I love youse all!!!!! -
miMayne,
Oh listen thee to padre in law
Frogs' Legs taste upon your lips
Should not beget what thou implore
and for fear of this thine mind doth flip?
you're nuts...
oh yes and sigh, the IT
now THAT'S WORTH FEARING
You silly twit
Oh but mi dost not think thee a Twit
Tho' needed rhyme for dreaded IT!
lololol....acck, oh, pshawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...
now, see, I cannot write as Papa nor thee
still, I thought I'd add my two cents
uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....or three
hmmm....you, well, what if Mari doesn't like the aftertase of
Spam???
oh my! -
Dear Mari, (mi querida hija,)
Please be so kind as to pass the Egg Nog sauce?
Muchos gracias.
Love and hugs, XXX El Padre. -
My dear Yemassee,
~~~
If yore to be my son-in-lore
you must not be so hasty,
or get upset with Mari for
devouring food that's tasty.
Rana de pierna are a treat
called grenouilles by the French,
they taste a bit like chicken meat
and leave but little stench!
My daughter dear may well defer
from kissing beery males;
we actually both prefer
roast escargots (or snails.)
So shape up Yem, get with it lad!
If she's to be your wife,
frog's legs, well cooked, are not too bad
to contemplate for life!
If Mari's legs were like a frog's
then you might well complain
but, if you've seen her in her togs,
her twain would reign in Maine.
I'm sorry I can't sympathize
with your distressed complaint
for you, by now, should realize
that Mari is a Saint!!
And, if St. Mari turns you off,
with a few frogs' legs she's bit,
don't let her see you gag or cough;
you might arouse her IT!!
~~~
I hope this eases your mind about my refined daughter's delicate tastes. Just pay the bill and be quiet!! Applause for the way your appeal is worded.
Fond regards, El Padre.
Edited on Dec 17, 10:48 p.m. because 'I forgot how to spell phrog!'. -
Ok, that is funny! lol
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Lol.... what's to not like about frogs legs??? You just have to not think about them before, during or after eating them. They're really quite tasty...and besides, the chef provides tiny little wheelchairs for the survivers...I know this to be true because I saw a picture of them...and pictures don't lie ...do they???
Sorry, Yem, I sympathise with your plight but perhaps if you do as BlacKnight suggests above, you'll be able to do the kissing thing ...just hope that Mari understands the new wardrobe requirements.
Dee
Edited on Dec 16, 4:57 p.m. because ''. -
Materials needed for the kissing of Mari's mouth:
1. Paper bag.
2. Marker.
3. Blindfold.
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