And Bobby McGee

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose." - Janis Joplin

I crossed over the Fair Lawn Ave. Bridge last night while listening to Joplin's Pearl. I came off the bridge to a green light and slowly rolled onto Route 2o when out of the corner of my eye I saw a bright red blur that wasn't slowing down. The pickup truck had run the red light without so much as slowing and was bearing down on me without remorse.

I remember thinking that I didn't want to die listening to Janis Joplin because while I occasionally appreciate her music, I really don't like it all that much. I would have much rather died listening to something I thoroughly enjoyed.

'Course I didn't die. I couldn't. Not like that at least.

I spun the wheel pulling the nose of my car back onto the wrong side of Route 20 while whipping the tail out into the path of the truck. I leaned into the wheel, and onto the gas pulling the ass of the car just past the front fender of the truck. We didn't miss each other by much...but we did miss.

I got my car pointing in the right direction and moved on.

Me and Bobby McGee was playing on the radio. I thought of how odd that was. That song has come up three times in the past year now. I picked up the guys and made my way to the diner. The tableside jukebox was open to Joplin's Pearl. I made OJ get me change and popped in seven songs worth of quarters. No one even noticed as I hummed along with Bobby McGee...

It's been awhile, eh? I wasn't away. I wasn't doing anything else. I was getting ready. Thinking. There's a story I have to tell before this story moves on. It's a tough one. I was waiting till my time at Rutgers, at WRSU, in New Brunswick ended. But in truth that's all been over for some time now. I just haven't gotten to where I need to be, but now it's time. Not to end anything, or start anything new just yet. It's time to tell that story, so I can keep on telling this one.

"This is just thing number 654 in a continuing series of things I hold onto to keep myself going. This ends I walk out that door and start looking for number 655. Nothing else to it." - Palomba