From "Essays On Not Having To Listen To 'The White Album' "

"Listen To Julia As Quiet As You Can"

Spot a bare room. Bulb on if it's night-time, bulb off for day. Smoke only one cigarette. You've bought a $5 radio-recorder from Walgreen's. Dry goods and white cans, a clean old fixture.

A long white rug and creepers at the panes. Attention to your nails. Play "Julia". Listen to "Julia" as quiet as you can. Whittle the floor. Whittle the floor. Talk to a friend on the phone. Make plans for later. Wonder about that. Play "Julia" as quiet as you can. A game of checkers, cold beer, and smoke only one cigarette. No chairs are better when there's crates and felted blankets. I knew a silent Norse once. I saw friends there at the bar. A friend's band would play. I stopped by the store later and bought a bulb. "Charlie, Charlie," I called when I got home. That cat was there. The cat would play with the rabbit. The other roommate, the girl, laid there and played with her hair. She asks questions. Start playing "Julia" as quiet as you can. It's late, and someone else is sleeping!

Won't you go to sleep? To sleep? It's awful fine. I used the phone again. "I don't have a copy."

-My friend Will wrote this sophomore year. I thought this was really incredible. We decided to put together a "book of essays" called "On Not Having To Listen To 'The White Album'". We're still working on it. I'll publish some more in the next few days.