it began abruptlyhed arrived late

                                  stopped  to pickup a dead squirrel off the road one eye popped but not out of its socket blood coming out of an ear  not crushed or exploded he carried it to a grassy culvert at the roads edge There you go he said as he gently laid it down covered it with a handfuls of fallen red yellowcoloured leaves

                                                                                               STOP Theyre squirrels

Squirrelly

           Whadoncha understand

I’ll slow down but I’m stopping.  said the host

   he turned to face him squarely Why

Why? Simple. I have places to be.

Places

        Youre not pressed to be anywhere yabeen retired whanow five  or is it six years

That makes no matter.

   Matter 

           Youll have to explain why yacant wait a minutethe fuck Ive stopped for a goodsized leaf on the road trembled by breeze  which ought to indicate that I slowed stopped well short of it Id just rounded a corner

Despite this enclave being remote the road is residential the law is twentyfive miles an hour Aint supposed to be a race track

People have places to be.

Lets not do your Worlds spokesman thing Im talkin to you Im not addressing your neighbourscant do a gawddamn thing bout their ignorance but I can try to coursecorrect yours

Anywhere you have to be isnt urgent truly significant  life or death

I don’t care. I’m not stopping for a squirrel.

   No

No.

Well  evidently when it comes to this yare piece of shit  If you thought I antagonised you before hold onto your cap Anwhen we argue you better bring your A–game because I  aint   stopping

the others at the impromptu gathering shifted uneasily in their brilliantcoloured red yellow green moldedplastic chairs which were enhanced by the flickeringblues in the poolwater  a couple cleared their throats  but nothing more

he was standing he always stood at this type of event

                                                        Antha goes for the rest of you

Maybe pretend the squirrel in the road is a child Theres no one here needed urgently anywhere  Thas why yare here in the middle of an afternoon on a weekday

1600ish,  Reggaefriday,  6  10. 23

1004,  Saturday,  14  10. 23