Travel

“I believe the muffled blast of the .410 shotgun after Billy Reeder held his breath for what seemed forever and then with an utterly forsaken cry pulled the trigger and blew his big toe off so he wouldn’t be sent to Vietnam.”    From Rain on the River by Jim Dodge

Bygone years long past yes but now as easy as

well let’s say politician lying I could take you back

there actually right there on Pennsylvania Route 30

which is the one-and-only Lincoln Highway the

first U.S. road to cross our country—if it still

can be called ours—from coast east at New York City to

coast west at San Francisco and where I was was west of

Bedford Pennsylvania and a little past Schellsburg and

on beyond the buffalo yes amazing for Pennsylvania

buffalo farm we were there to see and no problems

driving no roadblocks arguments or flats until now so

sudden ahead ahead there was him or her hit down in

the road and smashed over on the shoulder harmed

awful and no not a person but a deer which in my

thoughts is almost as bad to see here or on any

road and I will never not anytime in my lifetime or

beyond if there is any forget the look oh lord the

terror on that poor animal’s face connecting right to

mine our faces do you see? face to face but as a

glimpse because of the car speed but mind what you

glimpse because this one has followed me through

life more miles than that Lincoln Highway adds up.

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he lived on a hill that looked two ways with one looking down below on the black sand beach and the other up the side of a steep high cliff on this icelandic coast so famous and where tourist droves flock to stare and wonder and take their selfies and eat their snacks and some even wading

out there in that roaring north atlantic surf which first thing he warned us about since two of those idiots were swept in and disappeared by sneaker waves they call them just last monday he said sternly eyes leveled as a man used to newcomers like us arriving to rent his small airbnb cabin right down the road there he pointed

and when you get down there look up above you on that cliff and see my rope still hanging down that i used to climb up with my long spear to stab puffins and bag them for dinner fixed right there in this kitchen and so good they were and silly laws are against it now but by god i still could climb that rope up there if I wanted to and here’s the house key which should be all you need because our place is ready ready as always now take care and enjoy your stay

we drove down and parked in front looked out along the black sand at the waves that grabbed and swallowed those people looked up at the cliff and the old rope hanging down sort of proud looking then slipped the key in the lock and turned it it it what no back again no try again try try try and damn that sorry thing and okay you try it if you’re so smart but nothing either now what next call help

the call brings him fast out in his yard seeming almost mad and looking down toward us then walking fast his long arms swinging and head up straight and down the hill he came as if saying what the devil is wrong with these pathetic tourists who can’t even open a door but okay okay now do not say that to them or anything else no no don’t now the poor things just let them in and back you go up quick your big mouth shut

arriving on the scene his hand impatient held out ahead of him to grab that unsuccessful key he wordless took it slammed it in the lock and turned it it it what no back again no try again try try try and damn that sorry thing he swore

and puffins gathered up there over us on the cliff might have laughed seeing him him especially him helpless huffing at that lock his own lock and saying damn that sorry thing that lock which finally somehow did have a mercy he never showed those puffins and let us in

i guess i may need to replace that lock he mumbled muttered eyes lowered down and his head too before back up the hill he went and

i imagined this I did I imagined i could hear those puffins up there above us

ha ha they said ha ha

Listen to a reading of this story:

You can email Ed Briggs HERE

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