Bull
Michael Crane To the fat man in broad shorts, selling cocaine to children. I heard of a bullfight promoter from Spain who travelled to the End of the World. He saw great potential to make a lot of money from the masses of humanity who gathered there to ponder life. No one complained when he commissioned a bull ring to be built, as to protest would go against the secret code at the End of the World where everyone has the right to do what they want to. The Spanish promoter was aware of this code and he rubbed his hands with glee at the prospect of all the millions of dollars he would make. The mayor sanctioned the event under the proviso that he be the one to choose the first bull to meet its death. Thousands of lonely people gathered at the arena and watched the mayor choose the first bull from twenty animals paraded in front of him in the middle of the arena. They were huddled together with chains through their noses that kept them from roaming free. The mayor selected the largest bull with the shiniest black coat and the sharpest horns. The arena went silent as a much-decorated bullfighter appeared and began to wave his red cape at the bull. The bull did not move. For ten minutes the bullfighter tried every trick he knew to entice the bull into rage, but it remained motionless. In desperation he took out a large sword and thrust it into the bull's hide but the sword broke in half. The bullfighter was the one now enraged and he took out a small pistol and fired it into its massive head, but the bullets ricocheted and hit him in the chest. The crowd cheered as one as the bull calmly stood there for a few minutes and then bent its knees and rested on the ground beside the dead bullfighter. It closed its eyes and went to sleep. No one knows for sure if bulls have dreams but occasionally its tail flicked in the air and a great stream of mist came out of its nostrils. Everyone in the arena at the End of the World threw their hats in the air. from the man-child artist you sold down the river |
|
About the Author: Michael Crane lives in Melbourne and has been widely published in Australian Journals and newspapers and in a smattering of US magazines. His literary heroes include JD Salinger, Charles Bukowski, Richard Brautigan, Margaret Atwood, Elmore Leonard and Barry Yourgrau.