“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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