Casual Obsession

He melts in from the side, from his own particular nowhere.
His spectacles now absent. What does that mean? What does that mean?
It begins.
It begins with a sidling, wheedling question: tell me; tell me who you know who knows me.
Your reply an obvious empty negative.
The voice slides out, gelatinously gentle, continues with persistence.
Tell me who you know who knows me.
You still say no, a simple truth.
The pig-eyes glint and bristle in the dark.
Tell me who you know who knows me; tell me who you know who knows me.
I don’t know what you’re talking about; I don’t know anyone who knows you.
Tell me who you know who knows me.
Steam seems to rise from the arc of his arm as his fist flushes into your nose.
I'm telling you I don't know anyone; look in my eyes, I'm telling you.
Tell me; all I want to know; just tell me who you know who knows me.
(Psychotic desperate anguished pleas; a thug and a baby wrapped in one.)
I DON'T I don't i don't i don't...
And instantly he's a gangly spider, a shower of limbs that block you off
And his hands are on your collar
And his head is greeting yours
And you're smashed right back against the wall
And the instant lump on the back of your head
Takes the blunt-sharp bite of the pebble dash
And a blurring tinnitus seeps in your ears
And you feel the blood shake deep inside
As he steps back steaming and you try to walk
And you walk
And you walk
And you walk
And you walk
With this snarling, mewling presence at your side.
And unsure as you are, you try to keep it purposeful and walk away and walk away but not towards your home.
Where you going, where you going?
Home, you fucking piece of shit!
He drops behind but still in earshot.
Don’t you understand that all I want to know is one thing: who it is you know who knows me
Walk and you walk and you hope and you walk
And you feel a slurring numbness dropping down upon you both:
Scummy no-contest gladiators; chemicals beyond control
And you walk and you walk and you walk and you hope
But you don't pray yet and yet and yet his stale words fill the air behind you
Where you going where you going tell me who you know who knows me
And you reach a tree-lined courtyard
But a sick brain spurt kicks in and drives him up to join you once again
To block your path like a sweating ghost
Just give me a name, just give me a name
Just give me name, please give me a name
Give me a name and I'll leave you alone.
And his eyes are off and far away in long-gone far-off football rumbles
And his mind is cruising different planets
And his arms reach out like chunks of cable; push you back against a trunk.
And your head is one big bloodshake bruise
And the thug and the baby separate
And the plea is just a snarl:
Name give me a name give me a name give me a name give me a name
Give me a name give me a name give me a name give me a name.
Just give me a name or I’ll fucking waste you!
And you hear your own voice shouting back
At some strange pitch that seemingly
A street of people cannot hear
I don't know what you mean, you paranoid piece of shit!
You need help, that's what you need; you need help, you fucking sicko!
And you shake yourself clear
And you run and you run
And you run and run away, cover-scuttling like a rabbit
And you dodge the midnight traffic
And you gain your desperate sanctuary
But know your respite's temporary
As it all begins to fold away, like a cheapened, sickened joke
And you know this night has scarred two lives
And you know that things will never ever be the same again.