Highway Crossing

A response to Nathaniel Lee's "Man and Pack" in Mirror Shards.

She told me to pick up some groceries. I hadn't expected no god-damned five-laned freeway out front. Next time I gotta take a look out front before agreein' to pick up no groceries. You never know where you're gonna wake-up after boozin' night.

I hopped into the first lane where these devil dune buggies, a hideous glowing yellow, barreled down at me. I had no time to think I just jumped forward right into these glaring truck headlights. I jumped back, just missed roadkill. Maybe that bitch didn't like me after all. I could hear "Inu No Omawarisan" blastin' out of the semi's speakers. He hadn't even tried to slow down. Maybe he sped up, that fucker. A quick four hops and I made it to the median.

That woman she was crazy. There weren't no stores here on the other said the freeway. Just a swank shit-smelling swamp filled with alligators and turtles and bird poop smattered logs. I could just see myself jumpin' onto one of those logs my arms windmillin' as the log tried to spin out under my feet. But, it was go forward or retreat back across that car killen' road and return to that bitch empty-handed.

I hop hop hopped my way. The damn turtles decidin' to sink just as I landed on them turning my freshly cleaned -- well at least two days ago -- white socks a mushy fetid-smelling brown color.

I got myself across, and the only thing here is a bait store selling flies. I'm done now. You can send the next guy out for flies.