The Sugary Metaphysics Of Lost And Escape

Late Sunday afternoon here around Chicago we had what people I know call a “creamsicle sunset.”

(I don’t know if they still have Creamsicles or if everyone knows what they are. If not: What is a Creamsicle?)

Not only did the sunset look like a sugary snack, but I noticed that the orange sunset light and purple shadowed clouds to my eyes looked very similar to the hues in the Dunkin’ Donuts logo.

I thought it was interesting enough to grab a picture, but I just zoomed in a little, I didn’t think it was interesting enough to stop what I was doing and walk over a couple of blocks to get as close to the sign as I should have for a good view of the letter colors.

But it was a pretty sunset.

“Isn’t the sunset pretty?” she said.

I looked over. “It is very pretty,” I said.

The colors grabbed my attention.

“Oh no,” she said. “Now you’re thinking about something, aren’t you? What are you thinking about? I bet it’s something about dinosaurs, isn’t it?”

I said, “No. I was just thinking about those colors. Those shades of orange and purple. They look sort of like the exact same colors as in the Dunkin’ Donuts logo letters.”

She made a face, and said, “I do not want to hear anything more about Dunkin’ Donuts. We don’t even eat there. Why the hell are you always talking about them?”

I thought about that and I looked at her face, shadowed, but in a plain shadow not a purple shadow like the clouds in the background. I looked at her, and behind her I could see the Dunkin’ Donuts sign. For a moment I couldn’t stop looking from one to the other, but at the same time I couldn’t think of anything to say.

So I simply said, “I don’t know.” Then, to say something, I simply read the bottom part of the sign, and said, “America runs on Dunkin’.”

“Well, I sure don’t,” she said. She grabbed my arm and pulled me along, away from the scene, and away from the sign and the sunset that looked so much like the sign.

So now I can’t stop thinking about why I think so much about Dunkin’ Donuts.

Somebody had scattered sugar packets from Dunkin’ Donuts all over the lawns where we were walking. The packets were white, with orange and purple letters on them saying Dunkin’ Donuts.

I was going to say the sugar packets were very colorful and looked like little flowers in the grass, but I kept that thought to myself.

Now I really can’t stop thinking about why I think so much about Dunkin’ Donuts.


Like supervillains
sugar and advertising
laugh then laugh louder.

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Beautiful Queen Of All The World’s Gadgets

Three Clouds Overhead Started Shouting At Me


Merica Uns On Unkin

“The Librarian And The Painter”


The Donut Shop Parking Lot Is Not Enough

“A bra running from donut sex teaches
the metaphysics of lost and escape.”