I stopped the car and got out, limping slowly over to the car. It was laying in the ditch at about a 45 degree angle - no lights were on that I could tell, and the tires weren't spinning so it didn't appear to have just happened.
I crouched down to peer in the passenger side window - the closest to me. It was pretty dark, but the glow from my headlights lit things up pretty well. As I looked in, I could see a figure -- man, woman or child I couldn't tell -- slumped in the back seat. The window was half open, so I called inside cautiously, "Hello? Are you ok?"
I waited a moment before I leaned closer and stuck my head carefully through the window. There was a person in the back seat, an older man, slumped against the back driver's side window. He had on a grey suit, and a hat - slightly disheveled. As I repeated, "Hey...you ok?", he looked slowly over at me. Licking his dry lips, in a raspy voice he said, "Barry....is it you?"
Well, this was certainly unexpected. How in the world did he know who I was? "Who are you??" I said, beginning to get a little nervous. He did not reply, but slowly reached out his hand toward me. In his grasp was a piece of paper.... I reached in tremulously and took it. He seemed to give a mighty exhale, then closed his eyes.
I pulled out of the car and looked at the piece of paper. It appeared to be fragment of a birth or death certificate, with something written across the front in black Magic Marker. Holding it to the light, the breath caught in my chest as I read:
I love to dine on beef or pork.
Silver, chopsticks, or my two hands,
I'll use anything but the spork."
I pondered the implications of such a message, and wondered briefly about contacting the authorities. But my knee was really sore and I hadn't had any dinner. Suddenly, I was very hungry...
I have no idea what this means....but maybe Busy Mom does. :)
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