Hunger and Thirst by Richard Matheson Page B

meowing back.

10
    Staring
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    Room gets dark gets light Sunlight a tide that swells and ebbs Smile of God bless us all bless ‘em all long short tall What does Lynn do He’s a public relations man He does all right for himself doesn’t he Yes Leo bitch witch itch titch He does does not Roof leaks spot on ceiling proves it Proves what What? Ceiling sport on ceiling what? Ceiling wax No sport Ceiling Waes new branch O, a branch on a limb and a limb on a tree and a tree in the woods and the green grass grew all round all round, the green grass grew all There that will hold the little bastards Church bells ringing dinging donging ding dong up yours with gauze ding dong anyone show just cause why this man this woman ought not be Hungry thirsty light bulb chain hanging down Marley dead as doornail polish with deepest regrets Armpits stink they reek Next reek East Lynne and here I am hidden away like a black pit in a watermelon ave pit arm pit snake pit pit pendulum Poe woe moe ain’t gwine be no more anamotopoeia pickle nickel I’m a nickel short sir I need it badly OLD FOOL!!…
    Face hardening. Struggle. Reluctant easing of fury
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    What’s going on it’s Perkins sir we’re ‘aving a bit of a time below stairs I said where did that damn chain come from God knows I’m hungry I’m thirsty I want to get up so I want to When you wish upon a star Oh! Pain chain gas and water main thirsty there it goes Nose itches Time is it? Afternoon guess break swords into ploughshares no bomb casings ho ho that’s rich that’s Sam you made the day too long Male and Female created he Gloria Swanson based on teeth sticking out Drop da gun Louie Here’s my plan John to hell with the Germans I say let’s declare war on the second looies It’s okay with me Erick John you John I John… hungry Feel sick Must Please must get up Think I’m God, what am I going to do?… Wall dirty Odd yes messy dirty hurty wakey wakey pip pip righto There’ll always be an England seven inch cigar Bless land God bless ‘em all long short and tear her tattered ensign down long has she was mine I tell you all wall floor money shoo shot in the back Paralyzed here now No move I’m hungry thirsty hunger thirst Hunger and Thirst good title for a book What is the hunger for food to compare with the hunger for knowledge What is the thirst for water beside the thirst to know I saw that What a fool I was who made his prayer to Our Father with Art in heaven Harold be thy name How now brown cow cow cow now I have to shit I have to crap I have to God damn it all I have to oh
PAIN PAIN
!…
    Head rolling on pillow. Lips drawn back. Sweat breaking out on forehead and upper lip
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    Oh my God that was awful it felt like fire in the belly Judge Holmes sweet home The closet door is ajar when isn’t a door a look the rose is opening It’s dying Look at it makes me want to cry it’s so beautiful We die in order to live Each moment of life prepares us for death The petals are so delicately colored Yellow in the middle Deep pink on the edges They’ll fall in the water Look at that will you I’m so thirsty I could My throat is dry Stop off at the next oasis Ali and don’t dare When I think of all the times I spit and threw water away and pissed it out and was glad to get rid of it What the hell was wrong with me It’s true Food isn’t as important When you lie still like this it doesn’t bother you I wonder what it’s like to fast to slow fast slow past snow know Mahatma knew Jesus knew Why did they fast There must be something to it I’ll learn, no I won’t I’ll be out of here by late tonight at the most I’ll get this dam wound treated somewhere Where shall I go I always wanted to go to California Calif hr I k Took me three months to learn that damn speed-writing and what for So I can write dirty jokes on bathroom walls without anyone understanding My head itches damn my underwear is still wet God is that my foot itching for Christ sake it feels like somebody