Along the Road   The man had on a western hat and walked along the road. He didn't smile, just kicked at rocks, his legs were slightly bowed.   The road was leading off from town towards some distant place. A car or two rushed past him blowing wind across his face.   With eyes intent he looked ahead, his last dollar had been spent back in town where last night he'd lost the next months' rent.   Walking toward the turn off road, just five miles ahead he thought about his horse and saddle, one waiting to be fed.   A couple days out in the open, rimming through the rough would clear his mind of how he would be living on the cuff.   Just as all was sorting out and his pace was clipping right a semi truck blew by with noise and pulled his hat clean out of sight.   There ahead upon the road his hat sat, like a toad will peaceful in a space, before he's turned to flat road kill.   But he rescued it before a speeding car could crush it then put it on his head making sure that it still fit.   He walked until the highway was way back out of sight already sorting out a plan to get his life on right.

©Steve Dirksen