Paul was waking up, starting over each morning, forgetting the day week month year white space expanding ahead & there are birds & snacks & handholding infinitely

 

but then

 

melted concrete patches; how to operate a telephone switchboard; worked at the warehouse back then; visiting Loraine at school, above her desk a periodical table; a postcard from South Dakota with a wheat field being consumed by a combine; tonight’s TV lineup; frozen pizza for dinner last night; today’s weather; traffic stopped at the railroad crossing; signed Paul, not Dad; the swingset built in the backyard giving Loraine & me splinters; moving, changes

 

& here, now, a moment that has already passed.

Paul was cereal: part XXVII

[this box of Smacks was opened on 1 February]

 

 

Paul was remembered for getting lost in middle school. Walking up through the woods during recess. When he didn’t return for class Steve said Paul was at the Nurse’s Office.

 

Expecting to complete the task. 10 minutes up, 5 minutes down. Always failing with a sale, this is expected. Maybe one success a day.

 

& all the noise around, ringing, pitching, chanting, a ball bouncing around a group & never settling for a second, dialtone, becomes white, reassuringly empty.

 

The progression|digression meaning. Less.

 

A record of the night before in pulled & twisted sheets. Remade. Tucked under.

 

Rewrite the same story for several days. But it is a new story each time. With the same sentences.

 

To prove her sayings wrong, he left. “A creature of habit” that leaves the factory floor, family, & drives. West.

 

After a while all faces fade. Just voices. Ringing.

 

Has the serial form enhanced the story? Will Paul find his way through the words?  

 

Tune in tomorrow for the finale — Part XXVIII of “Paul was cereal”

Paul was automated speech, bike riding through the park, snow falling, ready for redial, skipping stones in the pond, getting ignored again, visiting Aunt Lori after school & listening, listening, listening.

Paul was in the business of looking more busy than he really was, doodles on backs of post it notes, flash fiction on the reverse side of invoices, counting words.

Paul was told ‘time is money” & believed it when coupled with quantity not quality calling, a manager making rounds three times an hour hanging up “too long calls.”

Paul was too good at listening & when kept on a call about “a grandson your age who works in the city” time is money comes to mind.

Paul was selling but not seeing the script, encouraging conversation & steering words away from religion & politics, & placing product suggestions between false listening.

Paul was headset on, eyes staring straight into grey cube & computer monitor, opening line on lips, & ready for redial.

Paul was if you call that many people, somebody, somewhere, will in fact purchase your wares.

Paul was the muzak piped through the phone system whenever a customer was put on hold. Only once or twice would it ever be heard in a day, as most people hung up with a quick:

“I’m not interested.”

Though, when he got to hit the hold button Paul let the songs linger, for if he had gotten a caller along this far they were buying. & now holiday themed tunes were played to reflect the season, though in saying they were holiday themed Paul never heard a Hanukah or Kwanza song.

Mostly White Christmas.

 

So he changed his script with a swift pencil mark to remind himself for these weeks that while putting someone on hold he could say:

 “Please enjoy this holiday music while I process your request.”                     

Paul was telemarketing response tree

Paul was a call bank. Row after cubicle row stretching out in the converted warehouse space. The high ceiling & open airspace served as a large echo mechanism bouncing the consistent sound of scripted speak about the bank & back.

 

 As if someone was whispering behind you all the time.

Paul was once asked about how interesting his job was, by a potential sale. This line, this human interest not scripted, & Paul had no colour coded sheet to respond with.

Paul was autodial, two rings, scripted greeting, dismissal, autodial, two rings, scripted greeting, pitch, dismissal, autodial, one ring, scripted gree — dismissal, autodial, threes, scripted greeting, pitch, dismissal, autodial, five rings, answering machine, scripted greeting, pitch, autodial, two rings, scripted greeting, dismissal, autodial, three rings, scripted greeting, dismissal, autodial, number out of service, autodial, three rings, scripted greeting, dismissal, autodial, four rings, scripted greeting, threat to stop calling or I will cut your balls off, autodial, three rings, scripted greeting, dismissal, autodial, two rings, scripted greeting, pitch, chatter, pitch, chatter, sale, walk to front of office & ring bell, autodial, three rings, scrip — dismissal