THE HIDDEN TRACK

The following passages are dedicated to Leopold, to the vernacular, to certain evil women (you know who you are), to certain wonderful people(they know who they are), to soft afternoons and quiet Sunday evenings, to Fall and seeing your breath for the first time since Spring, and to Isabelle Ya Feng ... a soul slipped by like two ships passing in the still, moonlit sea.
-- Abraham Ahmed, the Surfing Beatnik



Once Only a Mail Courier...

"Her! ...right there. That's her!"

"Her? Annah? Lindquist's daughter?"

"Yes. Wait, you know her?"

"Not personally, but her father knows my fathers. So this is 'the one' then?"

"Yes. She's spectacular, and I often..."

"Well then, I'll just stop this motorcar in order than you and I can approach her and introduce you, and ..."

"No, no. Mishegoss, pure mishegoss... we will not! What'er you doing? Wait! Don't slow down, don't slow down!"

"No? You mean to say yes! We will do this! And, do you know why? Because you are my friend Yoseph, and you spend all your days as a dreamer! You are a luftmensch Yoseph, a romantic luftmensch!"

"Please, please put this car into gear, she will turn around and she will see us sitting here like ner'do-wells. And, I am not a 'romantic luftmensch,' I am practical in romance, among other things."

"This is true, my friend. You are only a romantic luftmensch when you're awake - all other hours you are indeed quite practical. Separately, she's sweeping the shop front; she is busy at the moment. Look at her... she is nice! You spend nearly every day avoiding this girl as if she is stabled in the evenings along with the pull horses!"

"Hakn a tshaynik! She is a grocer's daughter; they are very successful. I am what? I am a mail clerk - WE are mail clerks! I have a bicycle and you have the motorcar!"

"We are postal couriers Yospeh, and one day we will be post marshals in place of 'the old ox' there now! We will manage every envelope and parcel that comes into this town! But, this is besides the point... You are my dear friend Yoseph, and it is because of this that I do what has to be done!"

"What's 'to be done'?"

"ANNAH? Annah? Hello! Yes, hello! Do you know my colleague and friend Yoseph? He is rather quite anxious to say hello.... Yoseph, listen, get out."

"Shhhhhh... I will not!"

"Yoseph, you are my friend, I will push you out. Do not make me push you."

"I just can't....... stop, wait, I'm falling!...wait!"

"I will tell 'the old ox' you will be late to work! Good luck!... fill me in later!!!"

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