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

Add Yours
  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.

Don't just stand there.