34MAG | 34THPARALLEL.NET

34MAG | 34THPARALLEL.NET

Share this post

34MAG | 34THPARALLEL.NET
34MAG | 34THPARALLEL.NET
I’m going to start a business of making words for you.

I’m going to start a business of making words for you.

34MAG | 34THPARALLEL.NET
Mar 06, 2020
∙ Paid

Share this post

34MAG | 34THPARALLEL.NET
34MAG | 34THPARALLEL.NET
I’m going to start a business of making words for you.
Share

You have stop signs for feet.

PLAYING THE DOZENS WITH MY SON BY PAMELA SUMNERS 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 74

“You are a master of inconsequence.”

“What does that mean?”

“A person who thinks he’s all that and a bag of chips but who leaves no impact.”

“You mean like a bee-sting on cardboard?”

“Yes. That’s marvelous. Can I have it for a poem?”

“May I,” he corrects. “Sure. I don’t like poems or cursive music.”

“Ooh, I like cursive music, too. May I have it?”

“OK. I’m going to start a business of making words for you.”

“I’d pay you.”

“You are a big nasty glob with dried ketchup for a head and flies lick you—”

Here he looks up to read street hieroglyphics and concludes with 

“—and you have stop signs for feet.”

He offers this up for a poem but I say

nah, save that one for your college admission essay.  

This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share