Friday, April 9, 2010

Ketchup

capcapcap...................................
capcapcap....................................
capcapcap.....................................
............................................................upk
.......................................................etc
...................................................hup
...............................................ket
..........................................chu
....................................pket
............................chupk
.......................etchup
..................ketchup
...............ketchup
............ketchup
........ketchup
.....ketchup

glketchupgl
glketchupgl
glketchupgl
glketchupgl
glketchupgl
glketchupgl
glaketchupgla
ssgketchupkssg
lasketchupketclas
sglketchupketchupsgl
assketchupketchupketass
glketchupketchupketchupgl
asketchupketchupketchupas
sgketchupketchupketchupsg
laketchupketchupketchupkla
ssetchupketchupketchupkess
gltchupketchupketchupketcgl
ashupketchupketchupketchas
sgupketchupketchupketchuag
lapketchupketchupketchupkla
ssetchupketchupketchupketss
glchupketchupketchupketchgl
asupketchupketchupketchuas
sgpketchupketchupketchupag
laketchupketchupketchupkela
ssthupketchupketchupketchss
glupketchupketchupketchupgl
asketchupketchupketchupkeas
sgtchupketchupketchupketcsg
lahupketchupketchupketchula
sspketchupketchupketchupkss
gletchupketchupketchupketcgl
ashupketchupketchupketchuas
spketchupketchupketchupkets
glassglassglassglassglassglassgla


I was having lunch at a restaurant with my mom. I couldn't have been more than ten. I picked up the glass bottle and gave it a good shake. The cap wasn't on tight. A stream of red shot out in an arc, splattering on the ceiling and into the booth behind me. I turned and looked. A man in a suit was sitting there looking confused, covered in ketchup.

37 comments:

Francis Scudellari said...

I'm sure at the time it was a bit mortifying, but looking back it's a pretty hilarious story.

Anonymous said...

jon,

what francis said

it's a great story & vispoem

/t.

Harlequin said...

this whole experience is so rich.... the colours and contrasts, the container, the boundaries and non-boundedness ... and the great story.
I was the recipient of a ketchup arc a long time ago. I was at a McDonald's with my then boyfriend soon to be first spouse, and was splatted upon by a flying arc of ketchup from a little fella sitting with his mom... boyfriend just about pissed himself laughing and I suppose my utterly surprised expression only added to the hilarity. The little fella has a good laugh, too.
and I have to admit, it was funny.
thanks for this fine experience of now and a sweet remember when.

Jon said...

Francis,
Every time I think of it I laugh to bust a gut... so yeah... in retrospect it's funny... but at the time he had a few choice words for me and my mom!
;)

/t.,
Thanks man... I like working shape and visuals... and would like to do more... but I find I'm limited by Roman letters and word processors and imagination... I'd like to work more into your realm of HTML if I could... think there's so much possibility here online that I don't have the skills to communicate in...

bard,
Thanks! The nicest thing of writing in a community like this is the interaction with peers... I appreciate your stopping by and leaving words...

Harle,
Geesh... I almost feel like I should apologize! Wonder if that was me and my memory is just wonky? Glad I could spur a memory... and glad as well that you can get a kick out of it... and now you mention it... I think I laughed too!

:D

Lynn Cohen said...

Hysterical story, unless you were the man in the booth covered in ketsup!

LOVE the bottle and cap.
You are too clever!

Barlinnie said...

Sir, I like your unique style... a lot.

Jon said...

Lynn,
Great to hear from you, and glad you got a laugh out of this little yarn... sure it's all just fun putting the words together... but especially if it ends with a suit covered in ketchup!
;)


Jimmy,
Well, not many of em call me sir... but I'll take that as a compliment from a fella like yourself... and if ya want some red sauce for those jesus chips, I've got lots to spare...

Jenny said...

:) A delightful visual poem.

The scene you describe has a bittersweet feel to it, especially the confused looking man. Very human.

So nice to see your updates again, Jon!

Jon said...

Jenny,
Thanks! Bittersweet is for sure a good way to describe the poor guy in the suit... oh how I wish this one was fiction...
And I'm glad to be back about too... missed all the crowd here in blogland...

:)


p.s
(post in progress that's coming to F of S soon!)

the walking man said...

Dude you are an artists with a keyboard.

ANNA-LYS said...

An e-motional event
You did invent :-D

(( hug n' kisses ))

Dianne said...

Ha! too funny, and isn't life grand?
Thanks for the artwork!

Famous Last Words said...

I love this! And the story was hilarious!

Unknown said...

cool wordpic
I like

I had a similar experience
Ummm more than one in fact...

Jon said...

walkingman,
Thanks! I kind of wish we had a better word processor here in blogger... would allow for some interesting shape and visuals I have trouble figuring out with the one we've got...

ANNA-LYS,
Nice to see your words... thanks for stopping by and glad you liked this piece...

Dianne,
It is grand indeed... and the little gems of everyday life seem to have all the richness just waiting to sprout!

FLW,
Glad you got a laugh here! (sometimes) Nothing is as funny as ketchup...

bobb,
Well then I hope you weren't on the receiving end! And if so, maybe you need to be more strategic about where you're sitting in the restaurant!
;)

Chris said...

Jon, love this. I like the image you created with the words, and I think it speaks to what writing and poetry and stories do in general. They create images, not quite as literally but images nonetheless, with words. And somehow, as much as I love the literal image you created, your little story beneath, which uses probably less words than were in the actual image, said so much more.

I won't be blogging for a bit but hope all is well with you, catch you soon. Take care!

Jon said...

Chris,

Thanks for stopping by and saying HI! Nice to hear from you. And I'm glad you like this piece... there's surely more letters in the image (and maybe more meaning too). Ketchup tastes different to everyone!

So, I hope your hiatus from blogging isn't permanent... whenever you come back there will be a community here waiting to listen and to talk...

Take care,
Jon

Pearl said...

that's fun. spanking the bottle is full of onomatopoeia and the ketchup within ready to make more chup, chup, chup sounds.

Monkey Man said...

Public messes. You gotta love em. Thanks for stopping by to read and comment on my "Humor" story. I love the treatment you gave the bottle and cap. Great visual.

Jon said...

Pearl,
Love the audio you've added here! Thanks for the comment and the idea on how to build this piece...

Monkey Man,
Thanks to you as well... always a pleasure to make new acquaintances here in the blogosphere...

aditya said...

Using the reds to enhance the ketchup you had strewn all over, was a nice invent Jon !

And it is a funny story. Hehe .. I hope you haven't landed in the suit of the man ever, so far.

Mariana Soffer said...

Really neat post, makes me wanna eat an hamburges. I love visual poetry, of coursewhen is made by talented people only.
Cheers

Jon said...

aditya,
thanks man! appreciate you stopping by, and glad you got a kick out of this one...

Mariana,
Nice to hear from you... and just you give in to that urge for hamburgers... unleash the inner Jughead!
Thanks for your kind words on this vis poem... I appreciate it!

human being said...

.


just one sound breaks the silence
one word can be a poem
a sentence, a neverending flight

just one candle ends the night
a ray of light can be the sun
a blade of grass, a garden of delight

.

BBC said...

Crap happens....

BBC said...

A sign in town was too intriguing.

I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF

Echo said...

How far you have come!
Still spilling ketchup
only now you spill it in words.
Wonderful.

Unknown said...

what did the man do afterward? What about your mother? That is a memorable experience. Unfortunately, I haven't remember many things about my childhood. Good thing for you...

Anonymous said...

SO COOL!!^^

Miss Doodle said...

That's a great story, Jon, and I love the graphism:) And I discovered something awsome in your ketchup-bottle, my name (maiden name) is hidden in ketchupketchup;)
greetings from Paris
Miss Doodle's Secretary

BBC said...

A man was shot in the testicles Sunday afternoon after a gun in his waistband accidentally discharged, police said.

The man was shopping at the Lowe's hardware store in Lynnwood around 12:30 p.m. when the gun went off, said Shannon Sessions with Lynnwood Police.


Aw nuts!!!!!!!!! Cleanup in lumber.

Ganga Fondan said...

...just "ketching up" on some of my favorite bloggers. Great piece!!! the red really jumps off the page. Hope all is well with you!!! Peace.

SKIZO said...

Very good taste
and sensitivity
good
sources
of
Inspiration

Chris said...

Hey Jon, haven't seen any updates from you in a while. Everything alright? I hope so. I just got back from my trip to Hungary, so, looking forward to reading your blog again :)

ANNA-LYS said...

I just love this one

Rex Venom said...

Hummm
Pretty damn cool
Rock on!

SilverPoet said...

I like that. Heh, heh, that's funny. :)