Car in the Night

Past midnight, in bed, dozing off,

an engine roars in the distance.

It’s a full throated big block engine,

accelerating hard down empty streets

He races back to the state forest

where he fought with Lev.

They were supposed to work things out,

Lev would pay back the money he’d

skimmed, but

he wouldn’t admit what he was doing.

And then he got chesty about it.

Started making threats, telling me

‘to be careful. ‘

I can’t abide by that.

I had to show him what time it is. 

He should have taken his lumps like a man.

But, instead he tried to fight back. 

I had to do it.  I had no choice.

No one knew him around here. 

No one saw me coming or going.

I buried the gun miles away. 

But, I forgot about the damn dash cam,

his dash cam.

Always thought he’d end up making

evidence against his own fool self

with that thing.

It could have recorded the whole thing. 

There I am in the headlights,

shooting Lev in the face. 

 There I go, orange jump suit, in a cage for life.

I can’t think about that now.

I have to drive, fast, get to the car,

get rid of the cam.

0r, it could be a middle-aged dude,

getting a gallon of milk for family,

He’s in a hurry, to get home and go to sleep,

Because he has work early next morning.