The last time I saw Jimmy he was a non-functioning human being. I stood in the doorway to his room after knocking, and opened the door a crack to relay some piece of insignificant information to him. In the 20 seconds the door remained cracked open I could see him in a fetal position on his bed, fully clothed on sheets that looked so dirty that I wondered how white sheets could be so black. I also saw that he had three TV trays lined up, with clean white towels spread across them, and an array of peyote buttons lined up on top, drying according to size. That was back in the 80's.
Jimmy was gorgeous. You never saw a more handsome man. He had pale white skin, jet black shoulder-length hair, and the bluest eyes you ever saw. If he had a bit of facial stubble one might even say he sort of resembled Colin Farrell. He walked with a shuffle however claiming he had arthritis in his knees which I don't doubt he did. His teeth were yellow, -the colour of mustard- but they were as straight as any teeth could be. When he did venture out he always came with a huge can of Bugler tobacco which we always laughed at and referred to as Buggler tobacco. Roll another Buggler Jimmy! Jimmy is at it again Buggering the tobacco! He ventured out about once a year to visit with those of us that he had grown up with. He never looked well but we were happy to see him nonetheless. Sometime in the 80's was the last time anyone saw Jimmy.
Jimmy had parents that most of us just referred to as either crazy, weird or in some cases as pathological liars. He had an older sister that lived so deeply in a fantasy world that you really couldn't do anything other than smile, play along to be kind, or to ask questions that were designed to make her believe you believed the nonsense she was telling you. Her fantasy life was so deep that you could tell any hint of reality would destroy a very fragile person. So you just let it be.
When I read all the news reports about his sister having been found living with the mummified remains of their father -for up to nine years- the first question I had was: Where is Jimmy? What happened to Jimmy? None of the reports even mentioned him. It was like she was an only child.
After some sleuthing to find his sister I learn some further fucked up details and when I inquire about Jimmy I am told: She says he went south.
South? Jimmy could barely get on the IRT going south into Manhattan let alone a bus going down south. A plane? Forget it. My theory is he is buried in a backyard somewhere. That family didn't know anyone living in the south and they historically loved knowing that all their cherished pets were buried close by in the backyard. Why not place Jimmy next to their beloved pets?
For years the neighbours complained of the smell emanating from their home. It was a smell neighbours claimed you could smell from across the street. I have no experience with what that could possibly smell like but I do know that my over flowing garbage can can't be smelled from that far away. I tried to call the police to ask about him after the father had been found, but once I said I was calling from Mexico, the officer hung up the phone.
It bothers me that Jimmy is said to have gone south. It is not that I want anyone punished because I deeply understand why he might be in the backyard, but it bothers me that someone I once knew could disappear and no one questions his whereabouts. It also bothers me that one day, perhaps a hundred years from now, Jimmy will be dug up and no one will know the who, what, or why.
I just want it on record that I don't think Jimmy went south.
Jimmy was gorgeous. You never saw a more handsome man. He had pale white skin, jet black shoulder-length hair, and the bluest eyes you ever saw. If he had a bit of facial stubble one might even say he sort of resembled Colin Farrell. He walked with a shuffle however claiming he had arthritis in his knees which I don't doubt he did. His teeth were yellow, -the colour of mustard- but they were as straight as any teeth could be. When he did venture out he always came with a huge can of Bugler tobacco which we always laughed at and referred to as Buggler tobacco. Roll another Buggler Jimmy! Jimmy is at it again Buggering the tobacco! He ventured out about once a year to visit with those of us that he had grown up with. He never looked well but we were happy to see him nonetheless. Sometime in the 80's was the last time anyone saw Jimmy.
Jimmy had parents that most of us just referred to as either crazy, weird or in some cases as pathological liars. He had an older sister that lived so deeply in a fantasy world that you really couldn't do anything other than smile, play along to be kind, or to ask questions that were designed to make her believe you believed the nonsense she was telling you. Her fantasy life was so deep that you could tell any hint of reality would destroy a very fragile person. So you just let it be.
When I read all the news reports about his sister having been found living with the mummified remains of their father -for up to nine years- the first question I had was: Where is Jimmy? What happened to Jimmy? None of the reports even mentioned him. It was like she was an only child.
After some sleuthing to find his sister I learn some further fucked up details and when I inquire about Jimmy I am told: She says he went south.
South? Jimmy could barely get on the IRT going south into Manhattan let alone a bus going down south. A plane? Forget it. My theory is he is buried in a backyard somewhere. That family didn't know anyone living in the south and they historically loved knowing that all their cherished pets were buried close by in the backyard. Why not place Jimmy next to their beloved pets?
For years the neighbours complained of the smell emanating from their home. It was a smell neighbours claimed you could smell from across the street. I have no experience with what that could possibly smell like but I do know that my over flowing garbage can can't be smelled from that far away. I tried to call the police to ask about him after the father had been found, but once I said I was calling from Mexico, the officer hung up the phone.
It bothers me that Jimmy is said to have gone south. It is not that I want anyone punished because I deeply understand why he might be in the backyard, but it bothers me that someone I once knew could disappear and no one questions his whereabouts. It also bothers me that one day, perhaps a hundred years from now, Jimmy will be dug up and no one will know the who, what, or why.
I just want it on record that I don't think Jimmy went south.
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