It hits you out of nowhere. A wave of nausea to let you know it’s in the blood. Shivers and body shakes follow which have passed now into day 6 and the body sweats are like a faucet; however I am still far from where I was.

Working, working out, feeling strong. This too shall pass… I hope.

Dennis Mantin

The Commitment to live a solitary life. When one is by nature a romantic, Is a sign of either bad past choices or a seeking of something greater outside of the immediate necessities of life. The enthusiasm and boisterous beautiful joy that existed in the young women of my youth passed away in exchange for something far less desirable. My species has been blamed for the disappearance of such treasures however consultation with wise elders offers a different story.Apparently history is repeated itself only this time with rage and social media.Dennis Mantin

energy is one of those words that have lost its meaning. I have grown tired of those who attach murky angst to what they don’t understand.

my patience is drained because I’m sick, body shaking, no energy other than to crawl into bed.

This is the exception to the rule.

Dennis Mantin

It’s much about electing public officials. Or much ado about nothing…

The sadness comes from knowing that; One of them is going to win.

I accept that I have little control over Not much of anything, however…

Seems to me that the very best and brightest of our citizenry appears to be shunning public office.

Dennis Mantin

It’s 3a.m. on a Tuesday.

Most citizenry is still in bed.

Not so at the last watering hole for coffee at Spadina and Queen.

Here a man dressed in a poncho asks me, “Is everyone crazy?”

He has that crazy smiling charm which has probably worked well enough for him up until now but I’m at the point where; I’m just wondering if he’s armed.

A drag queen yells something behind poncho guy which diverts his attention from me and I go back to getting what I came for.

It occurs to me that I should probably give up coffee for so many reasons.

Dennis Mantin

Dennis Mantin

Dennis Mantin

3a.m. Monday… Finding coffee is like that last watering hole in the Serengeti; an oasis rife with danger.

A man in a wheelchair that is staging a sign which reads, ‘to ugly to prostitute, to stupid to steal.’ is holding a cup meant to give change.

He is being attended to by a man claiming to be doing God’s Work, but just appears to have no better place to go.

The drunks and druggies come and go and by the time I get my americano, my admiration for the young girl doing the midnight shift at Macdonald’s has grown to epic proportions. She’s the one I feel who is probably best suited for God’s work.

I put my change in the cup and leave for my pick up. The man doing God’s work says he’s been here for 4 hours and has to go now. I mumble to myself “The media has been notified.”

Dennis Mantin

When I was a boy, I not only didn’t poccess this skill, I knew no one else who did or was even aware of such super powers.

As an adolescent I loathed the masks of such dishonesty and was truly not open to such developments in myself.

Recently I have turned the corner of accepting my human frailties and see such developments as lofty and attainable; something to work on!

Dennis Mantin

A man sat down beside me on the streetcar with a lit joint. I decided to move, keeping my opinions to myself.

Later in the day at my local convenience store the man behind me said, “Is that Haken Das all for you?”

“Yes.”

The next morning near the recycling bins a young crack addict searched the ground for… something that isn’t there.

My cat Gigi is dying… kidney failure. She can’t get enough water. She searches the bathtub drain for… something.

I am alone this weekend because my daughter wanted to stay with her mother and I am getting by.

We are not together because of something that isn’t there.

Dennis Mantin