Ancient sun, new day: mid-morning,
I'm about to get in my car with a cup
of coffee, big bright parking lot, when a man
walks up--his clothes and twitchy affect
suggesting meth. Asks if I can help his friend
"jump" his battery. "Where?" "Just over there--
he's beating on his car." As I myself
have struck a stubborn car a time or two,
I put aside fear of getting mugged,
drive over. The friend's got is drumsticks out,
playing them on metal under the raised hood.
Out of many front teeth, he's got just one hanging:
meth. Starvation-lean, some jail tats. The two
are living in the small car with a black dog.
We fiddle and fuss and finally get his car
started. The dog barks. Rolling up
the jumper-cables, he says, "Thanks &
god-bless. Nobody would help, nobody.
I mean, I get why they're leery of us,
but broad daylight, & all these people
around? C'mon. It makes you wonder
about the human race."
of coffee, big bright parking lot, when a man
walks up--his clothes and twitchy affect
suggesting meth. Asks if I can help his friend
"jump" his battery. "Where?" "Just over there--
he's beating on his car." As I myself
have struck a stubborn car a time or two,
I put aside fear of getting mugged,
drive over. The friend's got is drumsticks out,
playing them on metal under the raised hood.
Out of many front teeth, he's got just one hanging:
meth. Starvation-lean, some jail tats. The two
are living in the small car with a black dog.
We fiddle and fuss and finally get his car
started. The dog barks. Rolling up
the jumper-cables, he says, "Thanks &
god-bless. Nobody would help, nobody.
I mean, I get why they're leery of us,
but broad daylight, & all these people
around? C'mon. It makes you wonder
about the human race."
hans ostrom 2022
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