CASTLE ROCK

Profit! Celebrate! Drink an endless journey from the bottomless cup.

Drug prescriptions, bridges, television walls, Walmart deliveries

on your way home, incidentally, from work. Sync it to

   tireless machines that will carry on. And on . . .

Now don't be shy. Flag the six senses. An outlier is passing undetected through the MRI, finding a black hole further on for endless profits. On a day after tomorrow maybe everyone will fry.

Or maybe not. Maybe we'll flyyy --! As Dumbo did. And his friend Kim, a very brave bird.

(&)(&)(&)

People under the tent were crunching popcorn while outside was a weather balloon, according to the Department of Defense. The Ringmaster, in his best barker's voice, announced:

“Flying elephants are a hoax!”

In the air was a mild scent of far off forest fires. He gestured to the trapeze tower as The Flying Walmartians climbed their perch, swapping dead pan jokes. Then the hush. Said the High One:

“You people deserve melted butter. To be paid for down the line,

  next year, not to worry.”

Kim fluttered next to Dumbo's ear, cheeping something.

“Hoax!” the crowd began to chant. “Fake news!”

Undaunted, Kim continued for all to hear --

“Rain. Hail! Lightning and floods. A hurricane, three tornadoes,

  and five icebergs in a row. It's the flip side of a fairy tale.”

 Oh!A rhinoceros! Salt pepper, salt Pepper!

Corn on the cob. And remember how ethanol fields were forever? Stone-ground, and the story charmed a side of rice with Teriyaki sauce, savoring reviews of what's even good to eat -- far off in the distant smoke. And a calliope lilting memories.

Strollers out the tent were passing through. First down the Hall of Mirrors. Then over a path of stones laid out like a creek, (banish the thought -- a banana peel! and finally) on to the House of Pancakes, there to meet a clot of diners. Who were spluttering raspberries at the Tower, which had just hung out a sign: The Clown is Out, and laughing began a game of Hide and Seek. With Kim there beneath Dumbo's ear.

Which unfurled to reveal a psychedelic poster, Third Awakening, with scrolls and flourishes.

And that Pancake Path with blackberry syrup?

At Butcher's Corner zooming under News Chopper Two, Kim was craning out the camera door, brave bird. Calling down Chopper's thud: “Halloo!”

And “Coo!” dove called back.

I had to admire dove's patience. But,

“There'll be no melted butter, dove.”

She stared in disbelief. Every day I have filled her water dish.

By my elbow now comes Mr. Finch, to gather cookie crumbs.

“This human mystery I sense,” he says to dove.

“Which would be -- ?” I look him in the eye.

“Everyday? What's that? I'd say it's out here now!”

“Maybe the people you know. Far as I can see, today is every

  day. I remember yesterday and tomorrow.

  So today is delightful. And sad, all at once.”

“Then,” said dove, “it's enough for now. Right?”

“Humans tend to believe that doves spend a lot of time in the

  clouds. You saw Timothy?”

“There was an elephant up there.”