His neck…
Jay Burlough searched for the word…
Undulated. That was the word.
It was a blue heron, on a thick branch poking out of Labler Creek.
Other than Jay and the blue heron the campsite was so empty Taft High School could have had marching band practice in it.
The blue heron’s neck was rigid now, he was staring at something.
Intense.
Was it a he?
Lived in Henry County all my life and ain’t sure how to tell blue herons apart.
Two tornadoes touched down in Oldham, one in Henry.
Radio said there was one confirmed dead.
More storms were on the way.
The heron was staring.
Was he looking in the direction of a new storm?
Jay didn’t bother trying to pitch his tent, not even in the gulley.
Wind was crazy.
He, Jay had to admit, was crazy too.
He stared back up the gravel road that led to the campsite, looking for headlights. The sky was that dark.
Told Rafael to bring him smokes and a Gallery magazine from Love Stuff/Cheap Smokes, up on the hill by the Pilot gas station.
He was gonna camp out in the gulley, just him, a carton of smokes and a nudie magazine.
Never go back to Renfrew Trucking, never wrench another vehicle in his damn life.
Maybe there would be more tornado deaths, overshadow Carl Tutteman driving his 26 footer over the railroad bridge out on 71.
Jay cracked his knuckles, chewed his nails, pulled his old belt buckle away from his stomach where it left that little discolored indent on his beer flab.
Everyone would tell you Carl Tutteman was an asshole.
Everyone.
But that same everyone would tell you that Jay Burlough was the only mechanic crazy enough to rig Carl’s Freightliner so that the brakes would fail.
Didn’t think Carl would die.
Didn’t know what that blue heron was staring at.
But it was something important, at least to a blue heron.
Jay forgot what he was mad at Carl about.
Kinda too late to have remorse.
Fuck it.
He stared up the hill at the gravel road, waiting for headlights.
He at least wanted to smoke half a pack and get his nut off before the police came looking.
And they were, at least for now, preoccupied with a tornado or three.
The blue heron looked preoccupied with it too.
Wonder if blue herons kill other blue herons?
Jay started to wish he could fly away.
But he was starting to get itchy from lack of nicotine.
Hoped Rafael didn’t want to stay and talk.
Hoped Rafael knew which gulley he was talking about.
Jay stared up the road til his neck hurt.
When he turned back the heron was gone.
***
I swear to Joe Strummer that Love Stuff/Cheap Smokes is a real store in Kentucky.
A good start.
Or as Guy Clark would say,
“Needs work.”
Too real.
Never discount a crazy.
We don't realize the amount of trust of our fellow man which goes into living our every day lives.
Moving on.
Have a great day!