living in L.A./Planet Earth pt 2.J

I lived in a land where everything was the same color. Days, children, buildings, cars, food, and religion were all a pale slate grey--stucco covering the broken encrusted rhinestones which caused a false radiation shimmer reflection to emanate forth from every surface. My daughter was a jeweler. My son a runway model. Over time, I took on their false hopes and they took on my shattered dreams. I never lied to them, not even once. I knew they were unlikely to see beneath the glimmering stucco walls.

Immortal and wasted I prepared for the next millennium. A jug of water and a box full of photographs of people I never met should have been enough to get me through.