Comic Moment #1

I remember this scene from a film,
Black and white.
Was it Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel and Hardy?
I don't think it was Laurel and Hardy.
The familiarity is nagging.
And here it is,
Replayed,
In full colour,
In 3-D,
As the man in the short coat
Wheels his arms
And falls backwards,
Pivoting on his left heel
Like the needle on a speedometer
Picking up pace,
Reaching the tipping point
And surrendering to
Gravity.
His hands splay,
Bracing him for impact
And the crowd catches its breath
Each one bracing themselves
For the inevitable,
Now slow-motion
Collapse.
His feet are now airborne
And for a moment
He is suspended
Parallel to the ground,
A magician's trick,
That goes wrong
As he thuds against
Concrete.
His wide eyes,
And creased brow,
Slowly give way
To the tug of a smile
And the crowd chuckles
To see the banana peel
Stuck to his shoe.


© GB 2007