How Dare I

It’s one summer night

and I’m walking down a dark road.

Not because I live some place remote,

but because I can.

Probably not a good idea.

But no reckless car has passed by.

There are no strange sounds. 

I only hear the owls.

Still - I have no flashlight, and I start to wonder -

why am I doing this?

Then I remember - I love challenges.

I’m wearing short sleeves and shorts.

Mosquitoes buzz my ears.

Only a crazy person would do this I tell myself.

I step into a hole and my shoe gets soaked.

I remember that it rained the night before.

 

I left my car a mile back.

It didn’t break down.

I remember there’s an empty building up ahead.

What am I trying to prove?

I reach the building, the door is open.

With the help of the moonlight through a window

I find a tattered chair.

I sit down and hope there aren’t any snakes.

Just close your eyes.

Sleep for a while I say -

then you can walk back.

So, I sleep.

And when I wake it's morning.

I tell myself - see

you do like challenges.

I now feel invincible.

I start walking back to my car.

I think about getting breakfast at Panera.

Celebrate my bravery.

I see a car coming toward me.

It bounces across the ridges

and ruts in the road.

My car behind it is coming into view.

I breathe easy.

I stay to the side of the road.

Soon the car coming toward me

will pass.

But it doesn’t.

And when it gets closer

I see a man behind a cracked windshield

with a gun pointed right at me.

I ask myself –

are challenges really that important?

2024 (c) Jan Darrow