Total lubricant…

He was beginning to tire when a dark shadow came rushing down the hill —

and suddenly his mother was pouncing on him,

and they were rolling together,

and she was whining and nuzzling,

and he was mewing and burying himself in her wonderful fur,

snuffling up her beloved,

strong,

meaty mother smell…

Then she sicked up some food and he gulped it down,

while she gave him a thorough licking all over…

After that they leaned against each other and howled their happiness to the Up…

— in Ghost Hunter by Michelle Paver

I remember the first time,

someone said to me,

We are spiritual beings,

having a human experience…

As those sounds entered my ears,

making words,

I had to give my head a shake,

partially because,

surrounding the possible truth,

of what the person was saying,

was a creep factor,

that blew out the Richter scale,

but also because I’d never,

ever,

heard an idea like that,

before,

in this life…

But that was back in 2007,

and this is 2011,

and now I’m just that much older,

wiser,

and most importantly,

comprehensively,

experienced…

Everyone has,

their own preference,

when it comes to,

watching hockey…

And so they should…

Some people like to spend big money,

on a night at the Rog…

Some people like to kick back,

in their living rooms,

with mixed,

or same gender company,

some take-out,

and cold off-sales…

Others like to gather,

at the street corners,

of their communities,

reclining on deck chairs,

or parading,

in sports cars…

And others,

like me,

and Dave Pratt,

prefer,

to go it alone,

in the privacy,

of our own,

hockey temples…

Dave because he wants total control,

over his GD clicker,

and thinks women,

don’t know a thing about hockey,

except for,

he’s so cute,

and me,

because I prefer not,

to be asked to explain,

what I’m up to,

when the other team,

thinks,

they’re in the lead,

or a soldier’s down…

I’ll buy into the story,

that I’m a spiritual being,

having a human experience,

most of the time…

But as for,

the rest of those minutes,

on the time line,

which I cannot account for,

since Jan. 2009,

I’m currently charged,

as a human being,

having a spiritual experience,

in the locker room,

with my body,

as the notebook,

and a jersey,

as my lampshade…

Last weekend,

like every other weekend,

I insisted,

on a walk in the woods,

as a way to freshen up,

family atmosphere…

And to avoid,

an uphill battle,

I gave Starshine,

who offered to pay,

for parking,

with her babysitting money,

and Little Gem,

the choice of destination…

As we rounded,

Beaver Lake,

and wound our way back,

to the car,

we passed three young,

teenage,

boys…

A few steps further,

we stumbled upon,

a rain soaked,

wide open,

center-fold…

I tried to cover up,

by saying something,

about how someone,

must have dropped,

a flyer,

for Zeller’s,

but not before my girls,

spotted the double D’s,

and wondered,

for what purposes,

someone would allow,

someone else,

to take photos,

like that…

There are times when,

I want to shirk,

my parental responsibilities,

and suggest,

you ask your father,

but on this matter,

I sufficed it to say,

I have absolutely no idea…

When I was making sandwiches,

in Sydney,

back in 1989,

there was a repetitive cheer,

from the hostel boys,

at the pub,

to Get yur tits oot for the lads…

I can’t remember if,

I ever did or not,

but I know the idea,

was under serious consideration,

in the heat,

of a moment,

beside the Opera House fountain,

on New Year’s Eve,

just for the fun of it…

But that was WAY before,

the standardization,

of neuromancing,

and this day and age,

when if,

a thought even begins,

to cross one mind,

it spreads,

like wild fire..

And speaking of mental health,

as I was tossing,

circumstantial evidence,

into recycling,

where one trail,

runs into another,

Little Gem warned me,

Mama,

You’d better wash you hands,

because who ever that belongs to,

was having drugs,

at the same time…

When the clouds,

open up like they are,

this afternoon,

as a means,

of clearing the air,

the timing is perfect,

to scrub up,

and put oneself,

out on a line,

for when the sun comes out…

Because when it does,

my C cups,

and every other,

global member,

of Canucks’ Nation,

will be there,

ready,

and waiting,

to stand,

on guard,

for thee…