I Am He and He is Me

Breath in. Breath out. Take a good look around you. Study your surroundings take in everything. Pay attention to items and people nearby that may make noise. The soft hum of a fan. The shrill laughter of a co-worker. The whirl of the hard drive. Take it all in. Then dismiss it. Yeah baby, let it go. Forget about it completely. All those things will be there when we are finished. I need your total attention for a little while. It won't be long but it may seem awhile to you.

Breath in. Breath out. Look at me. Look at nothing but the words on the page or screen in front of you. Focus. There is no one anywhere. It is just me and you baby. Relax. I will see to it that you are safe in this place. Look at me. Nothing else matters right now. Let your cares and worries and work go. Just let go.

Breath in. Breath out. You are here with me. Imagine. You can imagine still. Make believe, if you will. But this is not your make believe is it? No baby, this is my make believe. Look at me. You can see me. Right now you have an image of me in your head. Those who know the author see a snapshot of him, those who don't know the author still sees someone that could be him and is for the moment isn't it? That's right. Focus. Imagine the screen and these words are me. It is me baby. I'm with you right now. Only you.

Now see my face not the author's face. No baby. You are in my place, not his, safe and alone. See my face. It is beautiful. Bright eyes and a broad smile. Hair, dark and slick and combed straight back. You can even see the lines left in my hair by the comb. Smooth, tanned skin with only a small scar to mark it. Do you see it? High on my cheek bone beneath my right eye. My eyes. Look into them. See me looking deeply into your eyes never wavering. What do you see? Humor? Yeah baby, a twinkle for sure. What else do you see my dear? Depth and knowledge? Timelessness. Deep pools of coal black pupils. Dark eyes. There is something dangerous in these eyes. There is life for sure but there is also murder and anarchy. Turbulent. You are safe. You are real. You are not a character here. You must trust me.

I will step back and show you my clothing. The white waist coat with broad shoulders, the long split tails over a white buttoned vest. Shiny black buttons. See it? Yes you do. Looking clean baby! That's right. A crisp, very crisp starched shirt with brilliant gold cuff links and a matching white bow tie. I step back a little more and you now can see my full attire! Beautiful baby. White pleated pants cuffed at the bottom, and the shoes. The shoes, patent leather white under white spats with black buttons. I want attention baby. I want your attention.

I stand straight and tall. I don't need the white cane with a gold knob on top but there it is. I smell of brandy and good cigars, leather and wood. I smell like a gentleman. My shoulder are back and though I am relaxed as you are you know there is more. I am poised and ready to react at all times. I am a man to be reckoned with. I am the man in charge. I am the MAN. People here live and die my very wish. People here succeed or fail, are loved or hated or as I choose. You are in my world baby. You are with me.

I will step forward again and offer you a chair. I pull out the chair you did not notice a moment before because it was not there a moment before. Yet there it is now. As you sit I will slide the chair in a little. It is a simple chair of bent dark wood and in front of you is a small table with a red table cloth. We are in a small, cozy room the lights are dim. There is New Orleans jazz playing softly in the back ground. I offer you a drink. Do you take it? No matter. We are here for business.

Business? Yeah baby what do you think? Business. I smile a brilliant smile and the room opens some before you. The music is coming from a small band playing slightly off to the side. A breathtakingly beautiful woman is singing. Singing very well. Everything here is perfect and you notice the other people. Don't notice them too much now. They don't notice you. They can even see me. I am here with you but we don't exist to them. Off to the other side is a bar. It is smokey but not terribly so, and not very crowded. The bar tender is a large fellow with a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth that bounces up and down when he asks, " What can I get you buddy?" Do you see him? Look around. Check the place out. Cafe tables are spread about. A small but well appointed stage off to the left a little ways and the very nice, highly polished bar off to the right with the large bartender busy shining glasses or practicing his art. The door man in his black tuxedo looking very suave. The band is playing but the music is very soft and the beautiful singer is hitting every note perfectly but we can barely hear her. It is background. It is all back ground.

I lean forward and the room grows dark. You can hear the muted conversations and music still, but the only face you see is my beautiful face and brilliant smile. Very seductive isn't it? Yeah baby, smooth. Very cool. That what we are here for. That's the business I mentioned. Seduction. I am your fairy god brother baby. I can make anything happen here. What do you wish? For I am a genie. It's true. That's the magic here. Right here. Look. Look at me. Magic? Absolutely. There is one small catch though. There always is. The catch is only one small thing. I will get to that though for now think about it! Anything! Anything at all. Whatever can be imagined I can make here. Not just in this room though, anywhere.

Just like that the cozy little jazz bar is gone and we find ourselves on the Eiffel Tower still sitting at the same table. Music? Sure baby anything! The little jazz band is here too, off to the side as always. The City of Lights in full shine and it can't get any better. Romantic? Why not? The music goes silent and we can hear the bells of Notre Dame tolling in the distance.

Venice? In the wink of an eye. You can smell the water and feel the motion of the gondola. The gondolier singing as they do. We are on the Grand Canal and...well look! Look you see Venice how you want to don't you? I can change that if I want to but we'll let it pass for now. Enjoy your minds view of the beautiful city at night.

I can take you anywhere. Your house? The author's house? Let's stay in Venice for a little while longer.

Maybe some wine? It will be the best wine you ever put lips to. Or vinegar. Or something in between. I can feed you what I wish or what you wish. There is the catch my love. You see now? I am a genie. Yes I am. Alas I am not your genie though am I? I am the MAN. Not your man. Not entirely. I am the boss here but I work for another. I can fulfill your wishes for sure Baby. No question. The catch is your wishes has to be the same as the author's Love. He leaves room for you though. This isn't a movie. He leaves seams in things for your wishes to come true as well. This is give an take Baby. I give, you take and in return you feel in the blanks. You see Venice before you. Your Venice, not mine and not the author's.

I will leave you in Venice. Stay awhile. Stay as long as you like. There are hotels and restaurants and museums and the opera. Enjoy! The world is yours baby and if you need me I can take you there. I sure take the author everywhere. Anywhere and any era. I am a genie. I am the author. I am he and he is me. I am your fairy god brother.