April 10, 2006

Yellow submarine

On a dust plain, much is made of a hot air balloon the Beatles plan to ride. One by one the dear lads coaster in on parachutes, John and Paul intrepid, Ringo with a prone thud, George an afterthought. Their handlers herd them brusquely to the blimpish buggy. John and Paul go arm in arm, the sherpas. The airship owner sways and stokes the flame. Reporters ask him where he learned his trade -- he shrugs and says he never really learned it.

Beatles entouragers climb inside to party for the boys who can't be bothered. Someone's whisked them to a private berth. The crowd gets motleyer and louder as the hot air rises. At the last minute, a young man offers me the sky. "Sit on this platform, you can join the party once we're in the clouds." I don't believe him, really, but I'd love to meet the Beatles so I fool myself, pretending I can handle heights -- I do it in my sleep!

Cut to later. Amidst the mill of revelers, a sober woman dubious of entropy, a lighter and a kid anointing boxes that fall into the cosmos and explode.

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