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Riding The Greyhound: Spheksophobic (from Boyhood Tales)
| Open Poetry #47 |
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Riding The Greyhound: Spheksophobic (from Boyhood Tales) |
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jwesley Member Rara Avis
since 2000-04-30
Posts 7563Spring, Texas 
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Riding The Greyhound: Spheksophobic (from Boyhood Tales) 'I breathe the air you breathe inhale the scent of you, taste the morning as you did, feel the touch of another's lips, know the love of another day, revel in the warmth of a lover's touch...' I awoke! With big grey dog's driver shaking my shoulder; "broke down man, middle of nowhere, going to get really hot in here, probably be at least 3 hours before help comes. Might want to get some air." Air? I wanted to restart that dream, right where it left off...but I do need to pee, hmmm, and more. Grey Dog had come to a halt on the shoulder of some obscure highway someplace between El Paso and Phoenix - I know, I was leaving El Paso, going to Phoenix, and it was hot, dry, sand crunching under my feet as I stepped down from the door. Just ahead of me, was the remains of a heat-embalmed structure of some sort, 20 feet or so square, half standing, half falling down. All dead - someone's home a long time ago; knew that because there was the typical quarter-moon shack, just as dead, a little to the left, and nothing else - a place to maybe get business done. Once inside, stifling as it was, it didn't smell; desiccated, hard-pan gunk is odorless, I guess. Dropped the necessaries, sat down - and that's when I noticed. Wasps! Looked like a hundred or so. Eye-level (sitting down), just to the left of the door, wings quivering, yellow and black bodies aimed, all eyes, looking at ME! My heart stopped! Totally! Completely! Stopped! I was shackled at the ankles, bare-butted and in a zero-humidity clime, starting to sweat. I leaned to the right (natural reaction I assure you), and all the yellow and black, pain inducing horrors, turned to follow my lean. Spheksophobic! Yep, that's me, instantly! Scared to Death! The door jerked open and I was staring into the eyes of another guy's face that clearly said he didn't know anybody was in; a face that turned to Spheksophobic panic as all those yellow and black terror inducing bodies took wing and out the door they flew. All eyes were on him running insanely toward big grey dog; and me, I got everything back in order, stepped calmly from that old quarter-moon shack and walked anywhere, anywhere, but back to that old Greyhound Dog. wesley james beard, jr. © august 2011 |
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| © Copyright 2011 Wesley James Beard, Jr. - All Rights Reserved | |||
Alison 
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy! |
This is really good writing, Jimmy. A |
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BluesSerenade Member Patricius
since 2001-10-23
Posts 10549By the Seaside |
You really take your readers along for the ride. Love these tales you write so well. So very much enjoyed, jwesley~ |
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JL Member Ascendant
since 2004-04-01
Posts 6128Texas, USA |
I chuckled out loud as I was reading. I made one of those trips similar to that from Livingston, Montana to San Antonio, TX back in 1981. Lord, that was the longest most grueling experience. Thank God it was in late winter. I guess I could say, I feel your pain… Great write J. JL  |
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Alison
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy! |
I went from NYC to Seattle .. interesting to say the least. A |
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Michael
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-13
Posts 7666California |
Once upon a time, a not so sane poet took a trip from California to Washington D.C. to visit with some other poet friends he had meant on the net. I don't know what was more unforgettable... the convention, or the ride. One thing I do know... I'll never go greyhound again. EVER! Well done. Michael |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
You caught me good... and I chuckled well... thank you for the healthy read!  |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Jimmy...what a tale, or is that tail? That boyhood of yours has had a few. I have my own yellow jacket story here somewhere, but I didn't get a last minute reprieve like you did. Much enjoyed...thanks!! |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
LOL... I love the tale and the telling... but people are going to wonder why chuckling sounds are coming from my cubicle! LOL And I thought I had it bad, just riding from New Orleans to Atlanta... stopping at e~v~e~r~y little one-light town along the way! |
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