WATCHIT WATCHIT WATCHIT awwdamn   Sonsonsonofabitch     Gawdammit

his daughter pulled off to the side of the road stopped the car as he went to the glovebox for the Kbar knife 

from the backseat a wee voice

                                Mommie. Mommie.  Mommie what’s wrong with Grampa?

He’s upset, honey.

Why?

she glanced at him

he didnt look at her

   Someone driving towards us hit a squirrel, little girl. 

If the poor thing isn’t dead Grampa’s is going to put it out of its misery. she remembered the deer someone ahead of them hit on Wisconsins Interstate years ago remembered his groan him pulling over  taking the same knife cutting its throat while avoiding it fright its thrashing legs  the freshfallen snow crimson Then he’ll take it off the street, bury it along the side of the road.

she leaned overgrabbed his forearm  I’m sorry, Dad.

he looked at her tears in his eyes

                                    nodded   Ill be back love

I’m so sorry.

mumbled Me too baby me too  Horrible to witness tha

                                                       he opened the door got out gently shut it

she watched him walk into the middle of the road oblivious to sparse traffic in either direction they could go round him walking up its heart forced cars to go wide of him  of the struggling squirrel

he knelt before it

it fell quiet

struggle was its death throes

tucking the sheathedknife in his waistband at his spine disregarding the gore the blood he cradled it with both hands and oblivious again  carried it to the side of the road

a young redwood grew there

he laid the busted squirrel down retrieve his knife cut a trench into the earth footanahaf deep sliced small redwood fronds padded the bottom gently laid the squirrel in it covered it with fronds

after burying the squirrel he placed a large smooth untroubled creekstone atop the grave

he paused a minutetwo  apologised to the wee creature for the disgust anthropocentric goons thoughtlessly heaped levied on innocent earthlings

at the back of his skull picked the thought he hadnt mustered sufficient clarity to read the license plate number  was too consumed by hope  and the horror

had friends on the force

thoughtless would have found they would have had to buy four new tires  sidewalls punctured

                                                                                                      slashed

he got back into the car

If you like Dad I have towelettes in my purs . .

. . No thank you love

                       Lets go home Ill washup with the garden hose

she said nothing started the car

his granddaughter said nothing

they drove home in silence          

1427,  Monday,  5  8. 24

2216,  2sday – Hiroshima  1945,  6  8. 24