Flinch ( nothing's out of something)

  

"While it rarely turns to violence, most women who spend much time walking around in public have experience with men who berate them for paying attention to something other than the man who is now, often out of nowhere, spewing invectives.  

In our modern era, that often manifests with men who are infuriated at women for looking at their phones.  "

"I'm old enough

to remember when I would  

get yelled at 

for reading books 

 in public."  

_____ 

Those dishes ain't gonna wash themselves. That turkey ain't gonna broil with you staring at a cloudy eclipse. That stain on the sofa ain't gonna vanish as you look at hundred years of solitude. That skirt ain't gonna get you another ring. That glass of beer will make you fatter than you were last night. That curtain ain't gonna sew itself fixed. That piece of steak will cook just fine after you wear it under your eye. That look looks like you need to book. 

https://www.salon.com/2024/04/08/men-punching-random-women-in-nyc-a-desperate-last-gasp-of-the-male-rage-fueling-maga/ 

____ 

I'm resting and keeping warm at the park, a wool blanket over my legs, sitting up using a tree for my back. Across the field a SUV parks, out comes a heavy limping person, she releases her two large dogs. They're 100 yards away. The dogs roam freely the leash-only grass, it's a nice spring day. I'm reading an article on my computer-phone camera-recorder-encyclopedia. One dog approaches, circles my tree, gives me an inquisitive look. I say hello, it trots off. The other dog, a german shepherd approaches, nears me and after staring a few seconds gives a loud bark. They're a 100 pound dog, 3 feet away. Their owner is putting their shit bag in the trash can, 15 feet away. What do you want, off leash dog? They're not a problem until they're a problem. My attention returns to the article. It's politically slanted. Violence isn't a Republican, Democrat phenomena, a waxing and waning. It's a deep sniff, pheromones, eye contact, domination, territory, vibes. Vote for the kinder violence, sure. Protect others and yourself. Spread the word, it rarely fits in a single article, story, poem. Glance up, glance away, plead Hunan rights to remain blind. Watch sports, pick up popcorn in the shag carpet, it's your turn. Flinch is what they're after.