Eulogy for a Giant African Snail

There are supposed big deaths

of Very Important People

that don't really matter.

Very Important People,

allegedly, who seem oddly

inconsequential to the world,

existence, us and the human civilization.

There are small deaths

of small beings

that matter. 

That touch us.

Hurt us.

Make us stand back, changed.

This death of a giant African snail

was such a death.

It had an impact, it affects me.

Indirectly I was responsible.

I could have avoided it.

If I would have known,

I could have stopped

its needless suffering.

A bland man who played in some mediocre movies

which made a lot of money

(without it being down to him)

and in some bad movies

which made little money

(without either being his fault)

died also.

For him I couldn't have done anything.

To him I owed nothing.

His death raised no emotions in me.

I remember making facial expressions

didn't come to him easily or convincingly.

Perhaps it was botox.

Perhaps it was bad acting.

Perhaps, just like with the

Giant African Snail,

emotions just weren't his thing.

He was a good man,

another Very Important Person says.

Who am I to argue with that?

I would have still chosen

to save the Giant African Snail

instead of Bill Paxton.

27.02.2017