The Unmasked Concubine

 The Unmasked Concubine


The visitors  no-one wants                                                 
They came in twos, side by side
The grim-faced officers, hats in hands
Spoke the words that sliced through your heart.                     

Ma-am, there's been an accident.
Is this your son? A high school photo.
Frozen in time; Just as your heart will be.
You nodded, your face  crumbling into dust.

Gus, a bright kid: Straight A's, a gentle soul
With loyal friends--over-achieving to make Dad proud.
Gus's father, Gilbert Hartman, expected perfection.
Goading his progeny with triggering results.

Sadly, when Alice Hartman called her husband
Sobbing uncontrollably, she pulled him to her:
"Our son is dead! His car was hit head on!"
Gilbert just stood there, facial muscles intact.

"Did you hear me? Don't you care that Gus's dead?"
Oddly, Gilbert's reaction never materialised.
No tears for his only son. What was wrong with him?
No remorse at all,  no pain had crawled from his eyes.

Then it slowly dawned on Alice that the father of her child
Appeared to be in a state of restrained jubilation.
"I don't get it,  Gilbert Hartman.  Are you glad our son was killed?
What kind of father are you? Say something! Damn you!!"

Gilbert shrugged. "Why the hell should I feel bad, Alice?
He's not my freakin' kid! Didn't you think I knew that, bitch?"
Alice's trembling legs were on the verge of collapse.
"Oh my God!" she cried, as he disengaged himself from the hug.

The next few weeks appeared to be awash in a fine mesh.
Alice couldn't bring herself to look at Gus's broken body
She had no recollection of the funeral; of Gus's horrified friends.
Her beloved, kind-hearted child was gone. Forever.

What's the price for a clandestine affair? A lifetime of guilt?
A cold husband who hates you? Your world imploding?
The Hartman's daughter, Elaine had been away for years
Condemning her mother for running into the arms of another man.

A week later, Alice Hartman's body washed ashore on a busy beach.    
Two boys approached it warily and ran to alert two lifeguards
"They're is a body covered in seaweed! I think it's a lady!"
The police were summoned. Then the corroner. Who was this?


The visitors  no-one wants
They came in twos, side by side
The grimfaced officers, hats in hands
Spoke the words that sliced through your heart.

Sir, there's been an accident.
Is this your wife? A high school photo.
Frozen in time; Just as your heart will be.
You nodded, your face  crumbling into dust.

Except the sociopathic Gilbert Hart
Showed a completely different reaction.
Far from one of unimaginable grief.
It was the face of restrained jubilation.

Now that Gilbert had erased his wife and child
He was free to marry his young, nubile, student

Virginia.

lonelyheroine 2017.

****************************************************************************

You may be wondering why I have put a bunch of Pet Shop Boy photos underneath a pretty dark story. Well, I've been a big fan for eons and I have to say that their music was the inspiration for a lot of my writing. Not to mention being incredibly gorgeous.  I've put captions under the pictures here.  

Guys, we haven't gotten paid for agreeing to appear walking aimlessly through  your weirdass video "Can You Forgive Her" with the two of you wearing the dunce caps and the orange prison jumpsuits. 

Chris, I thought we had the option of execution by lethal injection. This is the tackiest electric chair I've ever sat in. Don't just stand there-say something.  It isn't necessary to stand behind me all the time, you know.

Nice try, Neil..

That crazy Spitting Image wasn't too far from the truth. So how the hell are we getting away with this?

  ...But the nun does it better

Chris, giving someone the raspberry while Neil cracks up.

This picture always freaks me out. It must mean something to Neil and Chris. Perhaps having nightmares about dismembered and beheaded bodies and metronomes that appear to have the severed head at the top. Spooky.

Chris under shrink wrap.

"Looking for a good time, sailor?" "Not really. But I'd love to know why you're wearing your sunglasses at night. Reminds me of that annoying singer, Corey Hart and that appallingly cloying voice uses in all his ballads."

Dapper Neil. He's got the coolest coats and clothes. Love the scarf.

That's some small print there.  It says, Isaac Hayes, who voiced the Chef character on the show, quit the show after this episode aired. It takes aim at pretty much everyone by suggesting Tom Cruise and John Travolta are gay, belittling Scientologists and even poking fun at R Kelly's epic Trapped In the Closet.  Not sure I can thank them too much, as the gay skewering is pretty rude. I wish they'd just focused on Scientology aka the death cult more.

Tina Turner and the Boys. Chris, I wish you could tell us what resulted in an actual outburst of laughter when Neil responded to an interviewer that Tina should be given an award.

Chris, we could hide a body in this steamer trunk

 South Park cartoon show. You know, the one that created a hilarious bit dissing Tom Cruise and Scientology. If I recall, it was called Trapped In the Closet.

"I get it. You really got me this time. So what am I supposed to do with this bizarre piece of crap?"

"Neil, I told you we should have worn sunglasses. We weren't apprised of  the number of cameras that would basically hold us captive. All part of the game, I guess."

If one more idiot asks me, "Hey, cowboy. Where's your horse?" I'll scream.