Rod Necessary, pleasure to meet you,
or Rod Necessary, the pleasure is mine.
Never Rodney, what my mother named me.
After the theme tune, part Monkees, part
Here’s Johnny, I heard bachelor number 3
Rodney Necessary. In polished loafers,
navy blue blazer, the collar of my lime
shirt spread over the lapel, I walked on
stage and took my place, dark waves of
Lustrous hair falling past my shoulders.
Like others, I was a referral, my accountant,
who’d been on tv’s The Dating Game.
When he’s not on a surf board in Santa
Monica, or riding his motorcycle or camped
out in the mountainous desert of Warner
Springs Rodney is a studio photographer.
I smiled at the audience. Bachelor 3,
if you were a food, what food would you be?
A banana. You could peel me later. What
is your favorite time? Night, it’s so alive
with sensuous mystery. A fine arts degree
from UCLA, a passing acquaintance with
Harry Callahan, I cooked Mediterranean
dishes, grew roses. My Italian loafers and
manicured nails cinched me as her choice.
The audience loved me! Yet afterwards,
a fluke made me not her choice to go out,
something behind my eyes. No red rose at
an opened door for her! Smart girl. Like
the one I picked up on the beach and drove
75 miles into the mountainous desert to
photo shoot, and rape, the girl who said
yes sir, no sir, talkative. I let her out to use
a gas station’s Ladies, the next thing I’m
in cuffs . My mother put up ten thousand
bail and I was set free..to rape and kill
Penny Williams, Cheryl Michaels, Barbara
Heidi, to name a few. I remember names,
and mementos: panties, nylon stockings,
the 11 year old Theresa Riley I got in my car
and in a room strangled, screwed, and took
out to a landfill. The Dating Game. My long
dark wavy hair made me a cinch to win.
I never watched it in my cell or in the rec
area. Lying on my cot I saw eyes of corpses
stare past me, at nothing. Now I’m no one,
nothing, a nightmare memory to ones at my
trial. I didn’t fry in the yellow mama
or get a needle’s goodnight kiss. Bachelor
number 3, What’s your favorite time? Night.
Pete's YouTube video reading of "The Dating Game":
Subscribe and turn on Notifications for Channel 52.
Pete confesses: "I thought it ironic that this 'human monster' not only appeared on but 'came out a winner' on this very popular TV show from the early seventies. This poem’s challenge, as with many, was what to include and what to omit. I purposely did not Google any information, but just 'went with' details I’d heard the day before, on the radio about the late Rodney Alcala."
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