Issue 7:
Play
Dale Thomas Smith
Home
Welcome
Contents
Contact Us
Join Our Mailing List
What's New
Site Map
Site Search
Playing for Life
I love to play. For the last twenty years, I've played for one hour each week. It's always the same hour. It's always the same day of the week. This kind of play isn't like when I was a kid, though. I don't play ball on the sandlot. I don't shoot marbles with the Eisner twins from next door. The game I play is called "sunlight and fresh air," least that's what I call it.
The guard comes down to my cell and leads me out in shackles. Shackles that hurt my very sensitive skin. It didn't used to be so sensitive. Still, I don't mind because I know where I'm going.
We enter the "playground," least that's what I call it, and the game begins. I look directly at the sun and I take a deep breath. I imagine that the air entering my lungs has to last me 'til next playtime. I imagine the sun caressing my face will sink in real deep and keep me warm for a week. I imagine it sustains me.
This game keeps me alive. Course, it ain't much, but dammit, it's all I got and I love to play.
~Dale Thomas Smith
Dale lives in Columbia, Missouri with Catie, his wife. He's been published in 3 A.M. Magazine and The First Line Magazine. Email.
© 2001 by Dale Thomas Smith. All Rights Reserved.
© 2000-2002 by Cayuse Press. All Rights Reserved.
This page updated April 30, 2002.