A brass bell sounds as the last of them are clambering aboard
in raggle-taggle finery
raggle-taggle jostling for status
oh the Hoi Polloi
Somewhere in the bowels of this great iron boat a fight has broken out
up on deck - oblivious - the assembled admire the views as they discuss the art
trying to make sense if it
and his life - the artist
seeking evidence of his gone-life
gone-mind
in his paintings
Uproar down in the bowels continues
the Overweight Flautist attacks the Haughty MC
she thinks she knows it all in her fancy taffeta sea-green frock
Mr Lighting-Knighting steps in
disarming the affray
the Overweight Flautist is nervous
shifting side to side
from foot to foot
in his comfortable shoes
Hauty-Tauty leaves the scene to mingle with the Hoi Polloi
the King - Kingly-King - and she meet, exchanging kisses
they are true friends
Mr Lighting-Knighting remains in the bowels with the Overweight Flautist
who has begun to sweat
as Wayne-the-Pain (self defined nomenclature)
begins what is to become a full-blown lewd episode
which will last for hours
as he drinks too much and nicks up to the quarter deck for a whacky-dart
all too frequently
muttering about frogs arseholes and women he’d like to fuck
Kingly-King, the King of the land with his great grey-orange beard and twinkling blue eyes
has had a haircut
steady-of-foot on the land - less sure on the iron ship
as it lurches
with scuffles and fights breaking out below deck
Kingly-king and Hauty-tauty lead the Hoi Polloi to the Overweight Flautist and the concert begins
Wayne-the-Pain sits outside the galley smoking, muttering, swearing
I’d fuck a fish if it had tits
as the flute takes off in spectacular flight
(who knew the flautist had it in him?)
The Overweight Flautist goes on for too long
Kingly-king pulls at his beard as the audience’s feet shift and jiggle
some children sneak out
mobile-phone lights glow from the back rows
illuminating ghost-blue faces
less bored than the faces at the front
of the people who don’t want to be rude
who have to sit on their hands
bums itching to leave
smiling with ache and applauding at the end of each song
hoping it’s the last
When it all ends
it’s all done
Haughty-Taughty and Kingly-King talk in the carpark as the people drift away home
Mr Lighting-Knighting puts his arm around Haughty-Taughty Who knew they were on?
Kingly-king confesses that Wayne-the-Pain is on the out-and-out and the Overweight Flautist used to be slender
What happens to us?
he tugs at his beard and ponders
He used to be slim. What happens to us?
the Overweight Flautist passes by with his flute in one hand and a sweat-wet ‘kerchief in the other
It went very well I think - I’m pretty sure they loved it
He goes to man-shake the pink hand of Haughty-Taughty
she turns her head to look at an imagined star
she’ll none of him - and none of that sweaty ‘kerchief
Kingly-King breaks the impasse
All-in-all it’s been a good night my friends
a very good night
We will all be here
all of us
this time next year again
we’ll see you here
all of us
we will all be here again
Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay