Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Lyrasis IVIembers and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/quadliteraturear1997unse NEWMAN LISA QUAD the literary arts magazine of birmingham-southem college SPRING 1997 6 5 contents A poetry 28 ReJoyce: Passing Great - Rebecca Rozelle 13 Saturday night in center point 36 The Wrath ofJohn - K. Braden Phillips - John Irons A&P 15 Lines at the 42 Dry Fires - CassiaNunnally Glass - Bradley Camp Davis 22 when they made miles into & photography art kilometers - K. Braden Phillips Wammack cover Cathy Me 26 Chagall's Juggler Catches at Newman Lisa 1 Coffee 3 Ginny Ozier - Cassia Nunnally Glass 4 Jamey Grimes 10 Michael Lennicx 34 Untitled 12 Ginny Ozier - Glenny Brock Michael Lennicx 1 20 Ashley Hawkins 40 Untitled 22 John Wilson - Aimee Cleckler 24 Michael Lennicx 27 Julie Polk 40 Unbattle 32 Beth Rogers - Jennifer Heaven 37 John Irons 39 Ginny Ozier 40 Crazy 42 Mary Catherine Anthony Ben McLauchlin - 48 Michael Lermicx 41 Janice eats pizza quad staff - K. Braden Phillips prose Editor-in-Chief Ginny Phillips Prose Editor Julia Smith 4 The Price ofNapkins Poetry Editor Brad Daly - Jason Shumake Wammack Art Editor Cathy Layout Editor David Pitts Taking Inventory 1 Faculty Advisor Dr. David Ullrich - CassiaNunnally Glass r »,S,'V. I GINNY OZIER The of Price Napkins by Jason Shumake " The red seatbelt the dash. "I thought didn't sayplease. drooped around Phil's you didn't believe in "Please." waist—loose enough for miracles," he said. Phil smiled and two ofhim to fit snugly. Reed turned into saluted Reed before get- He pulled the belt. Z-MART's parking lot ting out and moving the "It won't help, and merged into a buggy. Reed parked the you know," said Reed. stream ofcars pulling car and they walked to- "You'll just make it out and moving in. The ward Z-MART and worse." sun was beginning to straight into the sun "I'm sorry," said set, highlighting the again. They squinted Phil. He stopped pull- dirty streaks on the and looked to the ing and stretched the ex- windshield. Reed ad- ground while shoppers cess belt. Enough for justed his visor, but the passed with tinkling and three ofhim. sun still came through. clanging carts. "I don't care if "Spacel" Reed and Phil you do it," said Reed. "Where-oh" crossed into Z-MART's "I'm just trying to spare Reed swooped his car giant shadow and re- you some frustration." into the parking place laxed their eyes. It was "When are you and then braked fast. A colder in the shadow, going to get this thing shopping cart. and Reed said, Let's fixed?" said Phil, jerk- "Damn, Reed hurry up and get ing the belt again. said. "Well, don't just inside.""No, not that "It retracts even- sit there. Get out and door. See, 'do not en- tually," said Reed, "if move it." ter'." people stop pulling on Phil unbuckled "Hell, said Reed. it." his seatbelt and pushed He went to the next one Phil stretched it behind the passenger over, and was almost the excess again and seat. He opened the struck by the automatic frowned as the belt met door and paused. "You door swinging outward. QUAD ARTWORK BY JAMEY GRIMES 5 'Jesus" circular counter with a and all and that he was "All the way to teenage, acne-covered growing up since he your left," said Phil. clerk inside the circle. knew that.,, "Honestly," said Reed went "Pedophilia Reed, "I don't under- around and around, in- doesn't become you," stand all this don't enter specting each watch. said Reed. and do enter business." He always looked for Phil stared at "inexpensive, high qual- him and said something They entered the ity merchandise," as he like, "What... you-" store and were greeted put it, and he'd gotten "I'll take this by a thousand fluores- good at spotting nice, one." cent lights, the smell of cheap stuff. After thirty The clerk put all popcorn, and a bee-hive minutes, he narrowed ofthe watches back in hairdo on an old woman his choices to three their cases and scanned who should have been watches, and he had the one Reed had se- called Harriet or Marge, tried on each ofthem lected. The cash regis- but her nametag said twice when Phil re- ter flashed $29.99 and 'Emily.' To the left of turned. then $32.40 in cool Emily, a girl hadjust "Which ofthese green digits. spilt a drink at the snack do you like best?" asked "Wait a minute," bar, and she was laying Reed. said Reed. "What was napkins over the pink- "I like that one," the subtotal before tax?" lemonade puddle, which said Phil. "Listen to The clerk looked quickly consumed the whatjust happened to at the receipt still at- napkins and kept me in the toy section. I tached to the register. spreading. was standing there, and "$29.99," he said. Phil smiled, this kid comes up to me 'That's what I looked away, and and says, 'I'll show you thought," said Reed. walked faster. "So a real fun toy,' and I 'The price on the dis- you're headed for the said, 'okay' and fol- play said $29.49." watches," he said. lowed him around, and "And where was Yeah said Reed. this kid couldn't have it displayed, sir?" "I can't stand not know- been more than six or Reedthen looked ing the time." seven and anyway, I at the thousand or so "Okay, well, I'll asked him if Santa was watches scattered be in the toy section. I going to bring him that throughout the circular want to go ahead and toy this Christmas, and counter. "I can't—give look for a present for he told me about how me a minute," he said, my nephew." he'djust found out that walking aroundthe circle "Sure thing," there wasn't a Santa again, looking up and said Reed. He walked Claus, and so we just down. to the watch section and talked about that for a "It's just fifty began looking at the while and how that was cents," said Phil. wrist watches, which kind of sad but how it "Maybe so," said were displayed around a meant he was a big kid QUAD 6 Reed, "but I've seen on "Same to you," make it worse." Reed the news how these said Phil before running cranked the car and stores cheat people with after Reed who had pulled out ofthe park- these scanner things. rapidly walked away. ing space. Most people don't even "It's not his Phil tentatively notice a few cents differ- fault, you know." tugged the belt, which ence, so by the end ofthe "I don't care said Reed. retracted a bit more. day, after thousands of 'I'm in a bad mood "No, I think it's work- purchases, that fifty cents now."They moved to- ing again now. Look— adds up to a fortune. wards the exit. An old I've gotten it almost Damn it—I know it said man with white hair and snug around me." $29.49!" a cane stood there wav- "Great. Now "I'm sorry, sir. If ing good-bye to every- leave it alone before it you have a complaint, one. His nametag said, goes out again." you'll have to talk to my "Grandpa Bob." Phil pulled " manager." "Isn't it nice, harder, and this time the "Well, call him said Phil, "how they belt did not retract. Phil up then," said Reed. have the senior citizens pulled harder twice Phil said, "I'll greeting everyone and more and then stopped. " pay the fifty cents. Let's saying good-bye? I "Oh just go." think it's really nice." "What? You've "I know it's here He smiled at Reed. pulled it loose again, somewhere...." "Why do you haven't you? Look, "This is going to think they keep sweet how many times have I take all day. Let's go." old people at the en- told you not to mess "All right," said trances and exits?" said with that thing? I've Reed, "but it was Reed. "It's to make you been driving this car for $29.49." He handed the think twice about steal- years. You'd think I'd clerk two twenties, and ing, that's why. I mean, know what's best. swatted his hand in you wouldn't steal from You'd think I'd know. Phil's direction. "Keep your grandparents, But no... you won't lis- your fifty cents," he said. would you? It's all psy- ten to me. So now, at "Your change is chology, let me tell least, ifwe have an ac- $7.60," said the clerk, you." cident, there'll be no plopping the money into They walked to one to blame but your- Reed's hand. the car with their backs self And if someone Reed struggledto to the sun, and after get- else gets killed while my coordinate putting the ting in the car, Phil said riding in car, it'll be bills in his wallet, while Hey, I think it's re- all your fault, won't it?" simultaneously putting tracted some." He Phil looked out the coins in his pocket. stretched the excess out the window. He always had trouble again. It was back to Reed cruised the with that. two ofhim. car along the shopping "Have a nice "Okay, don't strip toward Food City, day," said the clerk. pull on it again. You'll "Great how they anchor QUAD 7 the strip with the two "But he doesn't to the milk.. Same prin- big stores, huh? Even have a leg," said Phil. ciple as the anchor though most people "So what?" stores, really. Increases don't give a damn about said Reed. "He prob- the odds you'll buy what's in between. It'd ably has a prosthesis some shit, see?' be a lot more convenient back home in the closet, "Very clever," ifthey were next to each just takes it off for beg- said Phil, picking up a other, but that would be ging, you know." gallon and walking asymmetrical I guess. "But he doesn't away. God forbid that, it's have a leg!" They got into a good for the little stores "I'm sure the check-out line offour in between, though. In- government would pay people. The woman at creases the odds you'll for a prosthesis, ifhe's the front ofthe line was stop at one ofthem if really a veteran. Be- paying with several you're forced to drive sides, he's probably so credit cards, charging a by them. Very clever." used to not having a leg few dollars to each card. Reed parked the by now that it doesn't It took time for the car. While walking to even bother him." cashier to print out all the supermarket en- "Well, why the statements and have trance, they approached don't you saw offyour the woman sign each a one-legged black man leg, and see how it one. Five minutes ac- with crutches and a sign feelsl And so what ifhe cording to Reed's new that said, "Homeless does drugs? Maybe he watch. vet. Need operation." has a right to do drugst "For God's He held out a tin can. Maybe he has a right!" sake," said Reed. "This Phil emptied his Phil walked isn't the welfare office." pockets and dropped all ahead ofReed down the "Shut up, okay?" his change in the man's cereal aisle. said Phil. "Just shut cup. The man smiled "Geez, you're up." and said, "Thank you." awfully touchy this af- The woman kept "You're not do- ternoon," said Reed. apologizing to the cash- ing him any favors, you Phil grabbed a box of ier, who reassured her know," said Reed as Lucky Charms and kept that it was okay. The they entered the grocery walking. cashier, who was store through its sliding Reed followed fortyish with large, ex- doors and smelled the him to the milk section. pressive features, said produce, both fresh and "Notice how they al- she understood. rotting. "I saw on the ways put the milk in the The woman de- news how ninety-five back comer ofthe store. parted and they moved percent ofthose people Knowing full well that up far enough in line to buy drugs with the milk is the most com- place their milk and ce- money they get. You mon single item pur- real on the conveyor should neverjust hand chase. Knowing full belt. The cash register over your money like well you have to pass by beeped and churned out that." a lot of other shit to get paper as Reed and Phil QUAD 8