Keeping the Even Keel

‘…peacock ninny, you silly cunt’ howled the legless man, ‘…whorehens and milk-heavy teats to suckle and whey...’. The alms man tipped his brow and scurried across the hot blacktop black, his alms cap wiggling round the jug of his ears. ‘…silly cunt, off to the bowery for you…’. ...bridled, willowed and reamed, not a moment to waste… The sky turned stomach and fell willy-nilly into the black, tripe-flay and Jackson’s bile. ‘Wait up for me you tactless wee shit…I’ve a bone to pickle with you’ howled the legless man. The alms man took flight, his alms cap skating across the pillory of his head. ‘…not in a million years’ he howled back, his feet corseting the hot blacktop black. A piglet, legs haired in shit, ran wee-weaning behind the alms man, its corkscrew tail keeping the even keel. Had I but a moment’s rest, thought the alms man, time enough for a ball of pork jelly and a Quaker’s rye. The alms man dancing mad-footedly beneath Sodomy and Gomorrah, his alms cap jigging on the ball of his head. And then it began to rain.