Leonardo and Mary-Angel

LEONARDO AND MARY-ANGEL

By

Carlos Vital Menjivar

Leonardo and Mary-Angel

Copyright © 2013 by Carlos Vital Menjivar

Second Edition

All Rights Reserved

PUBLISHED BY

Carlos Vital Menjivar at Smashwords

This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by mimeograph or by any other means, without the express consent by the author.

Cover titled Birth of Eve oil on canvas by Carlos Vital Menjivar

Smashwords License Statement

… If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader … Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Certain words and phrases may be offensive to the reader. Parental guidance and discretion is advised.

DEDICATION

To a night of flight on stumbling dusty feet

Darkness, clutched blanket, fear;

To getting up and continue running.

To the leaves of the trees, bark, pebbles, hill, river,

Hunger, loneliness, desolation, want, enthusiasm, labor, love.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1 ...Leonardo and Mary-Angel

CHAPTER 2 ...Thought ache

CHAPTER 3 ...Ah, Mary-Angel!

CHAPTER 4 ...Letters and sleep

CHAPTER 5 ...Remembering crickets

CHAPTER 6 ...Lips fell asleep, muscles too

CHAPTER 7 ...One day, like dinosaurs-turned-birds... We shall be ethereal

CHAPTER 8 ...Flames

CHAPTER 9 ...Adolescence, love outside of standard sanctions

CHAPTER 10 ...Oldteen, powerful is the quest to be understood

CHAPTER 11 ...Idiosyncrasy

CHAPTER 12 ...Town kid

CHAPTER 13 ...The fight!

CHAPTER 14 ...The justification

INTRODUCTION

Some people are born wearing a crown on their head, an intangible nobility which is their truer nature. Unrelated to intelligence, such crown leads them to pursue high ideals. When offended, their only thought is 'how dare you provoke me.' Imperious rebukes soon follow. They may forgive, may wage war. Money, honor, social standing, none of all impede a person from being born a king, a queen, a noble; none of all have also anything to do with being born with a crown except as ulterior environments. Abject poverty, wrong race, neither is involved with being born a monarch. Anyone may be born wearing a crown, a crown of gold, a crown of thorns, a crown of deserving, a crown of authority. Those who ascended to a crown are like anyone else.

Some people are born with a mission which they never cease to accomplish. They are born to conquer the thought 'I have done it! I have accomplished that which is most important for me! I’ve done it!' Born monarchs make dreadful goal seekers.

Some others are born under authority. Eager to obey orders given by those in charge of their fate, if they are militant, it's their duty to obey. If they're sheep: they have no options. If they are servile it's a pleasure to jump ever higher. The highest rank they can achieve is that of lieutenant assistant vice ass-wipe. Authority or figureheads are cool shadows they must rest under as they're born under shadows.

Other people are born rebels; their problems are never ending; their oppressors are ever present, be it mother, siblings, the environment, the country... be it their own sins, their own pot fumes, their own piss, their adoration of victim status. Rebels are driven to confront affliction, to remodel the laws, to apply their own brand of justice, to be free of whatever commitments bind them. Rarely but rightly so do rebels must be.

Some people are born peasants. Plenty of money has nothing to do with having a peasant’s nature. Lack of means neither. Peasants are born to be content with land and animals and to work hard at whatever needs doing. The meaning at the core of man's existence is often found within.

Some people are born knights. They champion every worthy cause with chivalry. Their aim is to overcome that which is uncivil. Knights are born complete with mighty strength of heart and muscle. It is precious to right wrongs and to be awarded medals and honor. Assets or the absence of wealth do not determine who gets to be born a knight. Some people are just born knights.

Others are born teachers; loving to pass on knowledge. They don't just learn. Teachers take pride in sharing knowledge infused with their own conclusions. Teachers may have any rank: king, knight, rebel, peasant… bigot, demagogue.

This is the story of young adult Leonardo -sweet and noble-, of his heart -to which he fell prey-, and of his own psychotherapy -he sought to devise-. A king, a knight, a teacher, a peasant, a young man. Leonardo.

CHAPTER 1 ...Leonardo and Mary-Angel

If your past is similar in annoyance to a pair of wet, muddled, drippy shoes, take it off! Discard it, memories, sentiments, geography, peoples and all! Put on a fresh new pair of shoes… walk on those new shoes of the new you, for you are reborn.

People are a walking template of their infancy’s home. Whatever domestic situation was ‘normal’ in that home back then is what’s normal for the people now. Dysfunctional back then, dysfunctional now is what’s normal for many folks. There is no room for happiness, no matter how enthusiastically you belly dance, how carrotly you dangle it, how merrily you shimmy it. Harmony is an empty space occupied by tears. Keep away from such two-legged templates and be rid of guilt trips, flea-market scenarios, ball-and-chain reoffenders, guilt-tripping victims.

Mary-Angel: Smile! You look so serious. What are you thinking? Is everything okay? Well? I wanna know. -Mary-Angel was munching on potato chips. Reaching into the potato chips bag was noisy, as were her munching and her chirpy questioning- C'mon! Tell me tell me! I wanna know. What are you thinking!? -He was busy thinking, staring at images of thoughts such as when we daydream. Sitting on a college bench, Leonardo could have been a mile away by the lakeside. Mary-Angel's sudden presence changed Leonardo's daydreaming topic. Now he was fantasizing about a warm embrace… breathing hair and perfume while wrapped around her waist. All the thrills ruffled his leg hairs. Mary-Angel's face was sanded smooth, fresh, clean, pretty, young. She behaved cheerfully, flirtatious yet cultured. ‘A chick without defect’ according to Leonardo. No matter how deeply he scrutinized her overall presence, all he saw was flawless splendor. She was becoming to him like one of those stars that guide man’s earthly steps when man believes not in himself but on what he can’t explain. Whenever Leonardo isn’t smiling, his face exhibits a sadness and an embarrassing timidity which don’t exist, for he always had to efface them with his realism. Leonardo’s semblance prompted Mary-Angel to think he was pondering a dilemma. Mary-Angel approached him with a certain air of curiosity, though kind, trying to distance herself from Dorian and the boys who were criticizing the demeanor of anyone who came to their minds. She carried two coffees and two chocolate glazed doughnuts, giving Leonardo one of each without the customary offering and thanking words... A mutual stare at each other’s eyes freshened up the air. Leonardo continued-.

Leonardo: Hi! Serious? No way! If time is linear and space is cubic I’m having a ball! -Shrugging his well-built shoulders, Leonardo could use nerdy talk on Mary-Angel because she was nerdy, perhaps even smarter-.

Mary-Angel: No kidding, you look absent...maybe sad… majestic in a way..! -She pulled up a chair; he stood up and went to sit beside her, spreading his legs and leaning modestly toward her-.

Leonardo: -Waving a weeping theater mask he’d just grabbed from the teacher’s desk -Eh! You mean I have a sad façade. Get it? Sad façade.

Mary-Angel: Ha ha! Sooomething’s got your attention though, acacia fascia! -She finished the phrase with a joker face, pointing her index nail at Leonardo’s nose.

Leonardo: Ah... it is... nothing! If... you see I’m a sad cicada let me refresh my anxiety in your eyelashes. Mary-Angel... I mean, you stranger, you are gorgeous... I want you.

Mary-Angel: -Looking only at his mouth and then at his eyes- Ahaaa! Have you been rehearsing? So that’s what’s keeping you occupied. Why, thank you stranger. Is there a doughnut on your hand or are you happy to play with yourself..?

Leonardo: Wanna go to my place after class... to study?

Mary-Angel: No, that’s not you! No -and sighed-, you’re humble, shy... Are you on glue fumes? You are intelligent Leonardo. You know, for a while, I was wrong about you.

Leonardo: Intelligent? Shut up! Intelligent? C’mon! Am I a specimen under study?

Mary-Angel: -She emphasized by nodding- Yes.

Leonardo: I don’t think so but instead I’m convinced that on top of being intelligent you are... -She interrupted him-.

Mary-Angel: No! Look, I am not an intellectual, I’m a vegetal. Care to look at my latest A minus?

Leonardo: Hey, hold that thought for a second, I mean it. You are a brainiac... Mary-Angel, I’m the vegetal, I admit to it, I’m a cherry tree. Care for a cherry on a stem? –Pulling a stemmed cherry from his lunch bag, daringly flirtatious-.

Mary-Angel: You are very funny Leonardo -with a smirk- No! Slap slap slap! -Paused-. You know... I’m sick of it... the A guys in our class boast and boast... look at them! –Nose-pointing to a group of students nearby- Aren’t they funny? They walk around with their no fewer than three personalities not realizing how foolish they look... come to think of it... Well you know, they think it is rather smart... cool. Boy! Am I glad you are not a bad twerp!

Leonardo: Bad twerp!? He he he! Are there any good twerps? He he he!

Mary-Angel: Mh! I think that all twerps inclined to selfishness are bad.

Leonardo: What if I were such a twerp... not that I am... am I?

Mary-Angel: I’d make an exception and admire you instead... I would strive to be a twerp myself.

Leonardo: Aha! What do we have here..? Is there twerp love for me under your admiration? You’re exempting my imperfections…aren’t you? Lovey???

Mary-Angel: Under my