Doppler Radar Killed Our Classic Car - 2nd Half As Text Plus Full Audio

Here's the deal, folks... This is, as indicated, the 2nd HALF of this fairly lengthy poem. Due to Poetry Soup's file-size limitations, this piece had to be posted in 2 parts. The 1st HALF can be accessed, of course, by going to - "Poems by Mark Stellinga" - on the Soup. Sorry for the inconvenience... “I am not responsible! On this you must agree.” “I do agree,” I said, “now pull‘er out.” I knew I’d tied the rope off well and - checking out the dozer - I saw the iron bar was very stout. The rope was of the sort that people use to for pulling semis, so I was more than sure the ploy would work. But once the slack was taken up the farmer tapped the throttle a bit too hard…which made the dozer jerk Just a bit more sudden than the iron bar could handle, which broke its weld and sent it through the air, Streaking like a missile, which would penetrate the windshield of what had been our pride an’ joy Bel Air! Balling like a baby now, I gathered up the rope and walked it back to where the dozer stood. “Toss that hunk of iron in that box,” the farmer quipped…“then run it ‘round the hitch, an’ tie ‘er good.” Despite my tears I found the hitch and tied the rope off tight, wanting to believe the time had come When things would start to go our way. This nightmare had to end. But, call me jinxed, or even call me dumb, For, though the dozer’s power easily worked to free the car, because it had to pull so long and hard, By the time the car was freed our bumper could have passed for what - on trains - they call - a “cattle guard!” I fought the knots to free the car then tossed aside the rope, as what had been our “show car” sat and dripped - While all our friends were snapping shots, and I was close to numb - when, strolling up, the farmer actually quipped, “That’ll be a hundred bucks…and cash is all I’ll take!” I stood…surveying all that had transpired… As fellow cruisers gathered ‘round to photograph the cesspool in which our precious Chevy had been mired. I counted out the hundred bucks, screaming like a banshee, then me and Connie very carefully crawled Back into the car to learn ---- the floor was thick with mud! I tried to stay composed, as Connie bawled. The hood and top and trunk lid had been savaged by the hailstones. The windshield had been pierced…the seats were soaked. “Got yourself a trophy-winning ‘rat rod’ now, I’d say,” some heartless, picture-taking weasel joked! The underside was packed with mud, and, like I said, the bumper, because of what we’d done, was badly bent. Con and I just sat there, gathering tiny shards of glass…the iron bar had left a massive dent! “This field was heavily fertilized,” the farmer added coldly….“I’d wash this car at once if I were you.” I hate to have to tell you this, but - caustic as it is…I’ll bet you’ll have to paint it ‘fore yer through!” After telling all our friends to go ahead without us…(the only thing that made a lick o’ sense)… And after we’d accepted that the car was shot to hell - with bends and holes and cuts and stains and dents… We actually stunned that farmer with a most bizarre request. We offered him an extra thousand bucks To deepen where the car had been…shove the frickin’ corpse back in - then haul a bunch o’ dirt in with his trucks To level off this giant hole - where storms create this pond - and bury what we clearly knew had died! Now - knowing that my wife and I would not have lost our car if Doppler Radar hadn’t outright lied - Along with all the others who had damage from the storm - the same as what our Chevy had received - Everyone agreed that we should get ourselves a lawyer, and felt…because of how we’d been deceived… Channel 4 should take the blame for every single hail dent that every single classic had sustained! Naturally, we wouldn’t have sued had all we’d been subjected to were fairly gusty winds and minor rain, But luring out the folks who count on really super weather for cruising with their “bull” just isn’t right. And having watched our ’55 be actually “stormed to death”…then buried in a field…is not a sight We hope to ever see again. And we feel restitution - by Channel 4 - for what we lost is fair, ‘Cause, far as we’re concerned…our car was killed by Doppler Radar…and the weathermen who use it…just don’t care! PS: I've now got 4 new Audio-CDs - @ 4 1/2 hours each = (62 diversely varied poems), listed on EBAY - under - “Mark Stellinga Poetry” - or by simply contacting me - should those of you who enjoy listening to, as well as reading poems, and particularly those who travel care to be so entertained. (We use safe and simple - PayPal) Cheers, Mark