It’s All Up to Me

stephen-baum

You ever listen to an echo of your own voice? It’s you, a few seconds ago.

 Your breath, your vocal chords, your thought behind it. Not like a recording, since it’s gone almost as soon as you hear it.

Your imprint, a shadow self.

 It started when I heard my echo in the pedestrian tunnel.

I started counting things, keeping tallies.  

This many mailboxes. This many sprinkler heads, telephone poles, houses with red doors.

Above all, never lose count. I consider myself lucky because I know about this.

Nothing bad will happen as long as I keep my end up.

16 comments

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  1. Vinay Leo R.

    An echo to obsess about? It’d be interesting to do, as long as it doesn’t lead to more obsessions :) Nice take!

  2. Yolanda Renee

    As a child, we were told to hold our breath, or lift our feet when going through a tunnel to keep the boogeyman away. I just wanted to see what would happen if I didn’t. Been haunted by that sucker ever since.:) Excellent tale!

  3. Priceless Joy

    Excellent depiction of OCD. “Nothing bad will happen as long as I keep up my end.” Great line! I also like the one, “I feel lucky that I know about this.” Chilling really.

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