**Left to Right: Jared Rice, Curtis Meyer, Chocolate Spear of Destiny, Ronin     Quarantine Unit, better known as "Q-Unit" to friends and fans, is composed of four poets/essayists/short story writers living in Orlando and Winter Park, Florida, respectively.   In 2005, mutual friends, slam/performance poets, and trivia game enthusists Jared Rice, Curtis Meyer, and Brendan Earl (known at various times by the stage names "Ronin" and "Agosaol Brythwich"), decided to pool their talents and form a Spoken Word collective, inspired in part by Oakland, California troupe The Suicide Kings. The trio would go through several names including "The Three Sayers" and "The Lone Strangers," before settling on "Quarantine Unit," inspired both by the rap group "G-Unit" and the word "quarantine" appearing on Meyer's computer screen as he erased spyware. In 2006, Rice, Meyer, and Ronin added Brianna Brumfield to their ranks, a poet they met at the Speakeasy Open Mike night held at Will's Pub who performs under the name Chocolate Spear of Destiny.   Through their combination quirky solo material and poignant group work, Q-Unit aims to rekindle interest in poetry blending elements of humor, politics, and social observation to enlighten and entertain the masses.   In 2006 Quarantine Unit released their premier album Go Home & Die, currently available at the troupe's website: www.myspace.com/quarantineunit   __________________________________________________________________ ***********************************************************************   Don’t Push Me (Duet Version featuring Ronin) Copyright © 2006 By Chocolate Spear of Destiny   Chocolate Spear of Destiny: It’s a great day at the Marriott Vacation Club! How may I help you? Ronin: I hope it rains blood on your children. CSD: Ok, ma'am. Let me transfer you to the reservations department. Ronin: Let me send your call to someone who gives two shits more than I do... CSD: Everyone has a voice in their head. I call mine Jimmie. He keeps me from saying all the things I really feel…Good morning, Mr. Callahan! How are the kids? Ronin: You know, those snot nosed brats you had with the secretary. CSD: I forgot to thank you for the generous twenty three cent raise you offered me after being here almost two years... Ronin: Now I can get that stick of gum I always wanted. Yum. Juicy Fruit. CSD: He pronounces my name wrong…Actually, its "Bree Aw Na." Ronin: Not "Bree Ann Na"..."Bree Aw Na" CSD: Hmm...I can't imagine why you don’t feel my excitement on the phone... Ronin: Maybe because I'd rather be at home fucking my husband. CSD: I've been working so hard on it. Ronin: Mmm...Husband... CSD: Yes, Mr. Callahan. I'll get right on it, sir. Ronin: I'll be checking my myspace and looking at porn. CSD: My favorite thing about Jimmie is his carefree smile and hearty laugh. He laughs because he knows that you're going to shit yourself when I stab you in the gut Ronin: Now that I think about it.....That is pretty fucking funny CSD: Before you go, Mr. Callahan... Ronin: Before you go, fuck face... Both: I forgot to mention one thing: CSD: Do you remember telling that homeless man to get a job? Yeah, well I just hired him. Ronin: I'm paying him $256 to dig a hole big enough to fit you in. CSD: What are you doing? Ronin: Are you fucking crying? No...No, fuck that! You shut the fuck up when I'm yelling at you! CSD: Stop all that slouching, you cheap suit wearing bastard!     Both:  You stand the fuck up when I'm shooting you so we can watch the blood bubble from your neck.   Ronin: Fuck you. Fuck you, and everything you stand for. CSD: Well, fall for now...Mr. Callahan calls me into his office. He pronounces my name wrong again. Ronin: It's "Bree Aw Na." CSD: Jimmie tells me something’s off here. Ronin: Something’s off here... CSD: I think they’re letting me go. Ronin: It's "Bree Aw Na" CSD: It seems that I dozed off again. Ronin: It’s "Bree Aw Na!" CSD: Wait...I'm fired? Ronin: FOR THE LAST TIME IT'S BREE AW...Wait...I’M FIRED?! CSD: It seems I have 7 minutes to clean out my desk. Then, a security guard will escort me to my car Ronin: YOU DAMNED RIGHT YOU’RE GONNA NEED A SECURITY GUARD FOR MY BLACK ASS! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! DON'T YOU KNOW I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU?! CALL THE FUCKING COPS RIGHT NOW! YOU'LL NEED ABOUT SEVEN TO GET ME OFF YOU! Both: ...So...Can we count on you for a good reference? CSD: I guess not. CSD: I clean out my desk. Ronin: That's it. Now I have to kill him. I'll kill him while he sleeps. CSD: I know where he lives already. Both: We should stop by Wal*Mart for some duct tape. CSD: Yeah…and rope. Ronin: Ooh…Good call. CSD: I walk to my car singing all the way: Ronin: [Singing/rapping]   Bitch, I'm going to kill you You think I'm fucking around? Bitch, I'm going to kill you What? Are you too rich to drown? Bitch, I'm going to kill you. You think I'm fucking around? Bitch, I'm going to kill you. What? Are you too white to drown? CSD: I get inside with a smile on my face and Jimmie twinkling in my eye. I turn the key and my ears overflow with sound.     Both: [Singing]   Yah yah yay. Oh ooh oh ooh oh oh oh Yah yah yay... *[Repeats] [Ronin continues singing until end of performance] CSD: Mr. Callahan doesn't even know it, but music just saved his life.     * Lyrics from "Galang" written by Maya Arulpragasam, Justin Frischmann, Ross Orton and Steve Mackey, and performed by M.I.A.