Tales Of The ACTION MAN (Fiction???)

by Roger Neville-Neil

From Aural Innovations #11 (July 2000)

Chapters

  1. Twice As Much Fun... Twice As Much Action... Man
  2. Faster Than A Commuter Train!
  3. Lights Camera, Action Man!
  4. If You Can't Breeze Through - Draw Attention To Yourself
  5. The Simple Art Of Slumming
  6. Shakedown On First Avenue
  7. Great Balls Of Fire

Chapter 2:
Faster Than A Commuter Train!

It is after 11 PM and I'm running like hell. I am downtown near Pioneer square... heading toward Oak street. Running like i'm being chased by demons. People on the sidewalk gape at me wondering why this middle aged guy is running--clutching the outside of his jacket.

I stop at the curb and see the red light. I quickly glance up the street, the run like hell against the red light. I hit Oak street just as the max pulls up. I leap into it and slouch down into a seat at the far end-- all by myself. Breathing hard. Coughing up crud. Doesn't matter. I'm on the train now-- safely on my way home.

The implant at the base of my spine is pulsing. I'm not sure what I have done to it. I know I've done something to it. It doesn't feel the same. It's not as powerful as it was earlier. I may have damaged it. Hopefully, I destroyed it.

I'd taken photos at the show. I'd arrived early-- 9:15 PM. No one asked me to pay. No one challenged me. I just walked in.

The area that used to be an empty lot next to Fellini's is now a building. I see a guy in a wheel chair in the lobby. I don't know what kind of place it is.

I talk with Helio Sequence. I talk with Denny and Chris from Cavity Search Records. They like what I'm doing with the photos. Appreciate what I'm doing for them and the bands on their label.

As soon as the music starts and I move around I don't notice the pain I was in. It's like I have put it out of my mind... or I am some other person now that doesn't feel physical pain.

I am all over the floor... near the stage... prowling for shots from both near and far. Constantly moving. Constantly alert. In a heightened sense of awareness. A roving image hunter. Capturing pieces of time and light. After images of the soul of the beast known as music. Wild untamed rhythms that drive the universe and motivate humanity.

Denny tells me he heard the EP recording for the King Black Acid CD and He'll send me a disc. He says that this is great stuff... even radio friendly.

We tell each other that we'll see each other tomorrow night. King Black Acid are playing then and we are very excited for another Starseed fix. You just can't get enough live KBA to fill the hungry void of the inner ear. The aural spiral reaching into the depths of the mind. A portal through a mental black hole. A King Black Acid hole when time dilates between KBA shows.

We plan to turn in early tonight. I leave to go home.

As I walk up to Pioneer Square... I look up at the sky. It looks like it is clearing. A chill is in the air... but it feels nice. The christmas lights are up. The tree is lit up with lights. Downtown looks lovely. Small lights creating white-neon electric snow flakes and icicles laced throughout the branches of trees along the sidewalk.

I am about to cross the square when I see something disturbing just ahead. The Max train has just pulled out. Another will not be here for 30 minutes. I don't feel like waiting. I bet I can out run the train! Take a direct route to Oak street. No problem for action man.

I leap into action. Forget the pain. It is only.... a state of mind. It will not exist if I refuse to allow it any thought. The mind controls the body. The body only exists as a tool of the mind. Pain is only electronic signals the mind converts into messages. I switch off. I run... and run... and run. I transform into an urgent automated creature of the night. No time for traffic. I have a mission. My mission is to be faster than those mortals around me.

I make it to Oak street with a few seconds to spare. The Max train pulls up to me and I dive into the train.

It is the day after the Helio Sequence show. I have ridden my ten speed bicycle downtown. It is chained up for the day. Tonight I will retrieve it and ride home in the early hours of morning from Downtown.

Action Man has one more band to photograph before he can truly rest. For now I will ignore the faint trace of blood. The action will do me good I'm sure. I'll find out after tonights KBA show. Till then-- Action Man rules!

CLICK HERE to continue to Chapter Three: Lights Camera, Action Man!


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