Virus

Jester sits making a ha-ha-ha sound
unknown in his world which an earlier
age would call laughter. Dirty windows
show peoplestreams flowing into around 
buildings, eddies and whorls forming as
bodies move thisway-thatway along
concrete estuaries and out glass-doored deltas.
Faces frozen in morbid rictus rainbowlines
mouths perpetually inverted.

Jester makes a bdee-bdee-bdee sound
with his lips as plans hatched grow to 
fruition. Stands with a dingle-ding of
bells and runs through corridors echoing
with longforgotten footfall. Dragging large
containers to the roof takes hardly-noticed effort.
Dulls are still milling, millions now that third 
shift done. Jester dances grins. Ball- filled tubs now
at the edge.

Kerspat thudthudthud sound the dulls look up.
Barely comprehending…a tinyrubberballerfall?
Minute spheroids hit ground and rocket
as one into the sky updown updown rolling
on the ground underfoot. Confused faces 
that have never smiled not knowing what to do 
looking uncertainly around. Strange multicolorman
now dancing cavorting gamboling on the roof, saying
bdee bdee bdee.

Whats this says the bigheadman. We
cant have disorder in our fair city.
Wats thas replies the Jester. Wa
cant haave dasardar an ar far saty. 
Bigheadman might say be serious, but no
other possibility occurs to him. Jester
drums fingers on the table badum bum bum bum.
Stop that growls bigheadman. You know the law. 
The procedure will be painless.

Jester is now nolonger Jester. He is Edward
wears a suit goes to work Jones. Neurons confused
rearranged now conformist and dour. Face
no longer fixed in a  smile. It was for the best
says the bigheadman to his secretary. 
Edward is now a productive member of society.
Door opens as bigheadman leaves, opens again. What was
that asks bigheadman. Secretary headshakes. Bigheadman
shrugging says I must have imagined it.

Bdee bdee bdee.