To mark the city of Cleveland’s recent announcement of the official event zone, parade route, protest areas, etc. for the upcoming Republican National Convention: Chapter X of my recently released novel Friction, in which the characters react to the convention from a 2014 vantage point.

FRICTION

X

It was around that time that the Republican National Committee announced it would be holding its upcoming convention in our town which produced a cynical glint in Angelika’s eye a cynicism that nonetheless sparkled with a certain criminal glee I can’t believe they’d allow nay court that kind of bullshit here she told me motherfucking Republicans we need to grab em by the balls while they’re here grab em by the balls and twist them off perform abortions on public square or something something to really flip their wigs I laughed but without any degree of confidence that Angelika was joking there seemed in fact to be a heat radiating from her that signaled some kind of outside menace one perhaps that had swept in on the wave of fascistic tidings to take possession of our friend Angelika it struck me with both fear and excitement to see her so charged I’m sure you’ll be able to get your fill of protests I said which immediately ignited a new rage in Angelika flashing across her face like shadow and light play from the clouds I don’t just want some protest I recall her nearly screaming but probably she wasn’t so aggressive in her response I want to be part of something that matters not comfortable continuing this line of talk with Angelika in such a state or with my imagining that she was in such a state I assured her that she would come up with something with the convention still two years off she certainly had enough time to develop a plan although just the thought of what monstrosity she might in fact unleash upon our fair city prevented me from relaxing any and I began to craft my own plan for excusing myself from Angelika that afternoon or morning or whatever it was with the hope that her rage at the announcement of the convention would pass over leaving her more sensible for our next encounter a parade of elephants tattooed with corporate logos ridden by geriatric white guys with unnaturally strong erections trampling people mostly women in the city streets she was musing as I was getting up and saying goodbye the people I suppose would have to be dummies though she conceded