Deathwish 53: Melchor

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“Don’t wake me, I plan on sleeping in”

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I dreamt about crashing my car–

Seatbelt fastened, hands punctually placed,

….I bypassed brakes; I let pedal meet railing and

………….wondered who would feed my cats

In the seconds before sailing off the shoulder, I thought to grab my phone;

………….considered who I’d try to reach, if I’d even be able to–

I caller ID’ed the embankment with a few curse words;

……mumbled dream speak, tumbled dream speed

I spoke clearly through shattering windshield;

………..painted poems on dashboard;

……I made it to rest at the bottom of a ditch,

……….whispered through a broken stereo–

……..said, “Don’t wake me, I plan on sleeping in”

I let myself relax, I cruise controlled into a coma

………for just a couple extra last moments;

…I apologized to my mother for all the nights I didn’t come home,

………..her brother and father both accident victims,

……………my dad always driving away from us,

………I realized how I’d left her alone; parked and waiting

I could smell the engine oil leaking, the gasoline burning,

……but I knew, no matter how many miles it haunted,

……….that it wasn’t real, this recurring nightmare–

So I shook it off and turned on my blinker–

I’d reached my exit

I got off the freeway

…..drove home

………..and

……fell asleep

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To read the previous installment, “Deathwish 052: Colin”, go here. To participate in Deathwish, find details here.

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Melchor was born in Stockton, California, and currently lives in Stockton, CA.