Roadside Terror

“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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