art by Kristina Lenzi
College in the gas-shorted days.
Tim appeared in his dorm. “Hey Jed? Want to go see a Zappa show?”
“Who is Zappa?”
Jed would soon learn.
He stood in the Philly Spectrum. He had eaten some watermelon earlier. The watermelon was “laced” with some Owsley.
He had smoked beans before. Never had he “opened the gates.”
Jed never looked back.
He quit college and followed Frank. That was four decades ago.
Jed lost count of the times he “lived” Frank. Five hundred?
Seven Hundred Times.
Jed's father, Milton, was quite wealthy. He was THE inventor of flavored dental floss. He never questioned Jed's obsession. He was a Coltrane devotee in the early Sixties. Jed's mother, Ra, died in a pony “accident” in 1969. Every month Jed would go to his mailbox and pick up a heavy check.
“Hi Jed, enjoy your Frank life, love Milton.”
The Seventies became the Eighties. Eighties became—?
The Postmodern..................
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Jed surveyed the landscape. This was once a drive-in. He saw 2001: A Space Odyssey here.
“2001........Jipes......that was once considered THE FUTURE.......now, what year was this? 2041....no, 2042........yes 2042............I'm 89? Yes........ 89.”
He had seen THE EVENT while in a park in Utah. The year was 2028. Frank had been gone some thirty odd years. Jed looked into the sky and saw—?
What did he see? God? Devil? Aliens? He did not know.
He called it Frank.
He called it Frank.
After that, Jed took to walking. He got rid of his veggie-fueled car and..............
“Hi, my name is Jed. Did you see Frank?”
“Oh yes, my name is Dot, I saw Frank.”
“You did? Are you changed?”
“Sure..........I quit eating pellets after; now, I only eat SUBJECTS.”
2032......he noticed.......I have not seen any people in days.
After trekking through Ohio one day he heard—
After trekking through Ohio one day he heard—
THE VOICE..........
“Jed, this is Frank......you will meet me in a lot...where once you saw 2001....on this day you will die........and become ONE WITH FRANK ...............”
//////////////////////////////
Tim stood there. He kept slapping Jed.......
“Wake up......wake up......”
Jed slowly drifted in......
“Where am I?”
“You are at The Spectrum, you passed out, Zappa is about to come on.”
“What year is this?”
“Jed, it is April 28, 1973.”
“Oh, I dreamed I was an old man.........the year was 2042.....I lived in FRANK world........”
“Jed, no worries, the melon you ate was pure LSD.”
“Oh........”
Jed and Tim were quite impressed with the concert.
Chunga's Revenge ended the show.
They went out to the van.
Many fans were screaming.........ZAPPA ZAPPA ZAPPA........
//////////////////////////////
July 4, 1973
Jed stood over a watermelon. He looked deep into the rind. Was this real? A band was setting up in the basement of a frat house. Jed walked over to the guitarist.
“Hi, my name is Jed.”
“Cheers Jed, my name is Frank.”
“Frank?”
“Since I was born.”
“What are you guys playing tonight?”
“Well Jed, do you like Zappa?”
Jed started to laugh........
“Frank, sure I do. Would you like some watermelon?”
“Yes, I would.”
Jed walked over to the melon. He reached into his pocket and poured some clear liquid into the pink. He cut two healthy pieces and walked back over to Frank.
“Here Frank, enjoy, I'll see you later in Montana.”
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Click Image Below to read
by Vincent Daemon
~ only ~
on the FREEZINE of
Fantasy and Science
Fiction
I approve of any story that references Zappa.
ReplyDeleteI do too.
ReplyDelete