- Vol. 10
- Chapter 09
Buggin’ Out
Coral and fuschia by the passenger window.
The shock of realizing somebody is you.
“I’ve come to give you a warning,” you say,
but the light overhead is about to turn green
and the jackhammer destroying government property
makes your next line completely inaudible.
You risk another glance.
Your face is a checkerboard of experience.
“I’m not ready to die.”
It was the sort of thing you blurt to yourself
when you see how close you are to the other side.
“No, I’ve come to warn you.”
Your persistence is laudable.
“Wait, don’t go yet!”
You yell at Jeb, but he’s only been stalling
to light another cigarette,
and once his cannon’s loaded,
he revs the engine and you’re ejected
from this strange conversation.
Looking back, you see your arms
folded above your head to form an X.
“Sorry, babe, we’ve gotta make
the outlets in the next half hour
or we’ll miss the big speaker sale.
And I finally got the money back
from when you made my bail.”
Buggin’ Out
At the next red, you tighten your grip
squeeze the handle and spread
your harvest gold wing.
“What’s your deal?
“I’m leaving,” you relay out of courtesy,
knowing full well what your older self
came back to say.