CAR WASH
Two
hippies
and
a mongrel dog
on
a leash.
White
man,
black
woman,
both
with ponytails.
The
man attempts
to
heel and sit the dog.
It is a pitiful show
of his authority.
The
woman heads to
the
convenience store
to
get the couple a snack
while
they wait
for
their truck
to be touchlessly washed.
An
attendant maneuvers
their
pick-up around
the
busy lot.
A
tall, thin black man,
head
in a stocking,
long
leather jacket
to
the knees,
struts
and swaggers,
swings
his arms.
The bottom cuff
of his jacket catches
the
fender of the couple’s truck
jerking
him backwards.
In
one swift move
he
unhooks himself, his stride
barely
broken.
He struts and swaggers on.
That would’ve been some
ride,
he
says smiling
to
those watching.
The
woman exists the store
with
Ben & Jerry’s ice cream bars
in
her hands, her man
is
still trying to get the
dog
to follow his command.
The
woman walks up to the pooch,
lifts
her palm face up,
says
sit, the dog goes down.
The woman looks up
and suddenly screams.
Her
pick-up is up against
a
metal pole and the driver,
an
attendant, is driving unawares.
The
pole is scraping the side door.
The
driver keeps driving.
Oh my go! Oh my god!
she
screams, a death scream.
Oh my go! Oh my god!
She
runs over to her truck.
The
driver, a Hispanic man,
now
leans his head out the window.
His
face is sad, sad because
it
is always sad.
He
stops driving and continues
to
look sad and vacant
at
the pole against the door.
Oh my go! Oh my god!
The woman grips her head
and
falls over herself at the waste,
rocking
back and forth,
back
and forth.
Every
one is now looking.
Everyone at the car wash
is now terrified, naseaus
with
fear and dread
at
what horrible thing
has
happened to this hippie-woman,
because they don't know
what you and I know.
Attendants
and a manager
come
running.
Apologizes
are made, immediately.
An
offer is made – Insurance
will cover the damage,
do not worry!
The
woman is suddenly silent.
With
the matter handled
and
the commotion over,
everyone
goes back to their business.
The
woman now walks to her man
and
the mongrel dog
and
says, Was I loud enough?
Yes you were! Yes you
were!
She
looks to the dog who is
once
again standing.
Sit, she says, and the dog
sits.
