Lightning flash, and thunder’s at my back; I’ve missed, missed you baby.
White-caps and lappin’ swells, the sky’s gray and green and black and yellow, and ain’t that, ain’t that Pecos Bill atop that tornado?
Lightning and patter-fall drops.
“Now, you turn the key ‘n wait for the light. That’s the glow plugs warmin’ up.”
Streaks of bright light and the drumbeat prelude to cacophony.
“This switch is the reels, all the way back is engaged, all the way forward is for travel.”
Billow clouds and thunder’s off rollin’ again.
“This switch lowers the reels, they won’t run until they’re down, and the other way raises ’em.”
Transformative.
“Stephen!”
The wind’s got that bitter-sap chill to it. This storm’s out for the blood.
“Stephen!”
Tree bough bows and bent reeds and thunder, thunder holding me; pit-pat raintaps cannonballin’, water’s risin’.
“God Dammit Stephen!”
Moses with that wooden skin of his, plungin’ that accelerator to the floor, Nietzsche by them Dandy Warhols on the radio.
I want a God who stays dead, not plays dead.
I, even I, can play dead.
Parting waters down 40, east towards Little Rock, splashin’ tsunami waves behind, leadin’ no one, lost in thought at 100 mph.
“STEPHEN!”
Whip-crack lightning-flash and Tom’s all sodden and sinking and panicked. One of his helium tire’s up and busted. I jump into the water.
There is comparative silence.
I catch the eyes of a passing catfish in the murky haze.
The surface breaks and brings all the rage of the storm.
Tire’s still good, no damage to the tube, just been ripped free. I pull it up by the cab. “You’ll have better luck with just this.”
“Lead bones, remember?”
“Trust me.”
Swell, crash, sputter, and leap of faith.
“You heard the one about the river-boat captain?”
“Tell it.”
“Riverboat captain calls all his passengers up on deck in the middle of the night, says ‘We’re going down, so I have to wonder if we’ve got anyone on board who’s skilled in the art of prayer?’ Young pastor comes forward and nods. Captain says, ‘Good, you stay and pray, the rest of us will abandon ship. We’re one short on life-vests.’”
I don’t remember who said what, but we both laughed, and Moses too.
I, even I, can play dead.
God, god I missed you.
V - Scroll - V
