DUSTY AS THE SNAKE
Snake on the prowl
The Snake walks home from school, Snake is too cool. He lopes down the sidewalk, with every slap of his feet the concrete cringes. He approaches a car stopped at a red light, windows open, radio blasting:
We be moseyin' down to see the Doctor,
He be down the corner playin',
See Doctor Cool,
Pass young Cool dat bottle,
Clap your hands,
Clap your hands for Cool . . .
Snake doesn't even look, Snake he knows, he crosses the street to the flashing DONT WALK.
The cars whoosh by, he knows they're looking, he knows they're shouting at him. Watch out! Ha ha! the Snake bites, Snake is poison.
He looks for a motorcycle to steal--naw, not good enough.
Snake eats
Snake flings open the door and slithers into McDonald's.
"You'll spoil your dinner!" Who cares?!
Snake talks to the pretty girl in the day-glo uniform. The Snake always talks to pretty girls. He says, "Cheeseburger, no onions."
She knows I am the Snakeman.
Her eyes are crossed with fear and adulation, sparkling with enamorment.
" . . . apple or cherry pie with that?" Smiles. Grunt.
He takes the tray and takes a booth to himself, that's how the Snake is.
One bite says onions. He looks towards the counter, pretty girl is quivering. The Snake has been crossed. Go up and strangle her.
He gives her the legendary Snake Eye, she falls back into the deep-fry. Vindicated, Snake picks off the onions.
Snake at play, in the lair
Snake is home, throws down a book. Goes into the kitchen, sits down at the table, turns on the portable radio.
Doo wah diddy . . .
He picks up his air guitar and slams into a power chord. Always perfect, always perfect.
The kitchen screen door slams. It's sister bitch.
"Dusty! You've learned a new chord!" HISS!!
"Oh, I'm sorry, I guess I forgot." Explosions of school-girl giggling out of the room as he breaks into the solo just on time.
The Snake is a Rock 'n Roll Superstar.
Snake doesn't eat
"Dusty, you haven't even touched your dinner. Did you stop at McDonald's on your way home . . . I thought I told you . . . " HISS!!
"Oh Daddy, didn't I tell you? He caught a couple of rats down in the basement last night, so he won't be hungry for weeks! Hee, hee, hee!" HISS!!
"You be quiet young lady; and you, stop making those sounds . . . "
"Dus--Snake, maybe you should finish your dinner in your room."
"What's gotten into that boy lately?"
Snake's last great battle
Snake goes out after dusk, the air is cool, perfect Snake Time.
He straddles his two-wheeler, down the drive, slipping on to the darkened street, fleshy pistons pumping.
Around the corner, he spies his enemy: the giant chrome-plated mongoose, its two eyes blazing brightly, mockingly. The Snake knows no fear, is ready to do battle, will not divert.
The giant behemoth taunts him unmercifully, uttering loud mechanical screams. The Snake charges, the mongoose screeches longly, and they collide head-to-head in mortal combat.
Snake flies like a bird, lands like a rock. He looks and sees the hated creature on its back, in a ditch, around a tree. Its belly bursts into fierce flames.
The Snake is victorious again. He is very flat and feels like he has no legs. Snake is happy, he squirms slightly, and then lies completely still.