a letter in the post - pt 2 - Riders on the storm

so big brown betty is back on the road
after i got out of powassan i headed due south.
i was driving at about 84 Kph, the most she could handle these days. listening to the radio. "The doors - Riders on the storm"
i drove past this campsite, Kettles Lakes it was called. it had several lakes, natural ones, not mining holes. with typical wildlife you would expect at a healthy lake, tadpoles and the likes. i could smell peoples cooking fires, and hear music blaring as i passed by. so i decided what the hell. I could use a bit of proper socialising. i pulled in to the campsite and parked the car and grabbed my tent in the trunk and rented a lot.
as i was setting up my tent some neighbours came by. some girl named melinda and her boyfriend "Tex". turns out tex is short for texas mickey, which is a 65oz bottle of whiskey or rum or vodka etc. he had missing teeth. in the front. and smoked the strong cigarettes.
he offered me some of his drink. whiskey in his case. and nope not very neat. the only ice he had were those plastic cubes you can freeze and use. at least it won't dilute the drink. after a a couple of hours, melinda went to bed. and tex and i continued our soiree. he told me a story about the love of his life. A Polynesian woman he called Shirley though that was not her real name. I don't think he could bare to say it. so he called her that instead. Shirley was loyal. shirley was kind. shirley cooked him meals, and straightened his tie, and brushed his hair. shirley made love as if her hips were built for carrying the sway of rivers. he loved her madly. Until one night a storm came to the island they lived on in the state of hawailli. a tree came crashing into his window. and struck her dead. he laughed as he wondered allowed to me if it were a willow tree. or a pineapple tree. it seemed to look different at every angle in his memory.
he finished his tale with a poem. a lament really. "The Moon, The Moon...AWOOO." and fell asleep with that. i decided to climb in my tent and try to sleep. with his words ringing in my head,. knowing i have to find you still. wondering if you were thinking about me. looking up at the moon, howling.
a sudden gust of wind came. and it started to pour with rain. my tent was knocked over and almost suffocated me but i managed to climb out of it. tex and melinda were hiding out in their trailor. i asked to join them but they wouldnt open the door. said the storm was singing songs of death.
i turned around and i swore i heard the wind call out names of all those i had buried alive. i heard it call your name. like it was going to be my epitaph. i called out into the storm. i threatened the weather gods or the clouds or the sky, whichever was listening that i coiuldnt be deafeated by a raging storm. but for a minute there i did wonder. i climbed into my car and the two of us rode out the storm together.

so i am back on the road once again. I do not know where my next stop will be. where i will rest my weary head. i could feel you there, in the storm. in the wind. on my skin. breathing into me, so much so that my lungs almost exploded. i can feel you now. on this open road. i will be there soon. i won't be distracted anymore by my petty needs. i am focused now. i will just drive. just drive.

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