Road Kill

I’m not sure how I wound up here; laying by the side of the road like this. Why, to look at me, you’d think I was just a lump of dead animal flesh, like a deer or an old hog that shimmied through a hole in the fence and wandered too close to the road. But, it’s not. It’s me; just laying here, looking down the road and every once in a while up at the sky.

Looking up reminds me of being a kid. You know, after you’ve run around all afternoon on a clear, blue fall day, and you’re so tired you just lay down on the ground and peer up at the heavens. Head spinning, the clouds scurry by. And if you let your mind drift ever so slightly, you can feel the earth rotating underneath you. Can't you just feel yourself, not as an insignificant speck in a vast, empty space, but as a created body, stewing in life’s juices, so full of potential? No, you can’t! You’re just a kid! One of your buddies comes along and kicks you in the side! So you chase him down and beat the tar out of him! But your mind has taken a snapshot to pull up on occasions like this.

Turning my head, I’m looking back down the road I was walking on earlier. I kicked a can for a little while, until I squared it one time and sent it way over a fence row like a scalded dog. Not climbing over there to get it, though, that’s old man Lipsey’s land. Besides, something else would come along in a minute that I could kick. Boy, I was wrong on that one. Something came along and flattened me! Some kind of sweet justice for the kickees of the world, I suppose.

Still, I keep thinking about the time between when I left the house and my introduction to the business end of a west-bound roadster. I had made sure all things were squared away before I walked out the door. I tied up my shoelaces good, put on a light jacket, just in case. But I took it off just a little ways down from my driveway. I had gotten hot, just like I always do when I do anything physical.

Only a few cars passed me, the air they were pushing rolled up my pants legs, made my shirt flap a little, and up over the back of my head, making my ears tingle a bit. My mind had time to wander, so I let it. I thought back on the women that had come in and out of my life; brunettes, blonds, redheads. There’s a soft place in my heart for redheads, one in particular. No explanation as to why; just something about her. I turned just before my legs got taken out from under me, and I saw the face of the driver. It was a women all right, guess that’s only fitting. They’ve been running over me all my life.

I’m fishing around in the pocket of my jacket now, thinking I might have stashed a candy bar in there, one of those little ones you get around Christmas time. You stick a few in your pocket to nibble on while you’re out shopping or getting your tree. And sometimes you don’t eat them all and you get a nice surprise when you put on that jacket after a while. No such luck.

I’m turning my head the other way and studying the road. It goes on for a little ways before disappearing down in a bottom. I can barely make out where it comes up the other side of the valley. From this distance, I can’t make out any detail, but it sure looks inviting. It’s certainly better than my current situation, lying here all mangled and bloody. My body feels numb. Strange to say that you feel numb. If you’re numb, how can you feel? Anyway, I feel like there’s a soft lead blanket covering me, weighting me down. Or, maybe it’s a rope tied at my waist, connected to the center of the earth. Either way, unless I sum up some strength from somewhere, this will be the last place I ever see.

Looking at that road again, I’m starting to get my hopes up. I don’t know what’s down in that bottom. But, now that I squint a little, it looks like there might be house at the top of that next hill. I’m going to see if I can move my legs…Well, they moved a little. But I think I better give them a few more minutes.

Where am I, anyway? I’ve driven this way a hundred times, thought I knew ever inch of this road. I know when to slow down for the curves, when to speed up a little to make up the next hill. I’ve got this road all figured out. But walking down it seems to be a lot different. I mean, I can’t even tell if that’s a house up there or not. Everything along the sides looks different, like it’s not even the same road. Funny how perspective shifts, leaving you guessing at reality.

It’s also funny that no cars have come along since the one that put me into this pickle. It’s like everybody knows there’s a potential corpse laying here and they’re all taking the back roads around. Well, who needs them, anyway? I’ll get myself out this mess without anybody’s help. Yep. Just as soon as I can move my legs…They moved a little more this time. Think I’ll try to stand up…Better give them just a little longer.

Is that a buzzard circling up there? Well that’s a fine how-do-you-do! Buzz off! Ha, buzz off. Two torn-up legs, cracked ribs, a boxer’s face and I still got it! I’m not dead yet, you vulture! Wait…buzzard…Are they the same? Maybe a buzzard is a redneck vulture. Anyhow, you’re not going to pick my bones! Not today, pal!

The shadows are getting longer. Wonder if I’ll make it to that house before it gets dark? If I don’t, maybe the moon will be bright enough so that I can see. Actually, I think it’s close to a full moon, but I can’t remember when it’s going to be up. Hey! What do you know? There it is! And there’s not a cloud in the sky. Ought to make for plenty of light to see by.

Down, but not out. That’s the motto du-jour (that means of the day, I believe). I’m feeling pretty strong now. Guess I might have dozed off because it’s getting pretty dark. But I think it’s time to get up and get moving. Man! I’ve been laying in a fire ant bed! I didn’t feel any bites earlier, but now I do. But that’s the least of my worries. These bites will heal up much faster than these bones will.

Actually, I don’t think I’m hurt as bad as I thought I was. It sure walloped me good, though. Figured I was dead. But, everything seems to be working. My legs are pretty bad off, but I’m standing on them. Let’s try a few steps…Hey, not bad. And my face seems to have stopped bleeding. But I bet I’m a sight! If my friends could see me now! Well, they could if they’d drive down this road right about now. I know that more than one of them comes this way often. But not today.

Ok, I’m heading for that house on the next hill. The shoulder seems a little bit smoother along here so I think I’m going to walk a little farther off the road than I was earlier; we know what that did for me. I’m moving a little better with every step. I’ll be in the short rows in no time.