Going Camping (Part Three)

(Conclusion)

Melissa had gone on a rampage and destroyed the room,

The lamps, the mirror, she left me to face my doom,

I didn’t bother going to bed, I wouldn’t be able to sleep,

Every passing car could be the Sheriff, Nathan, or some creep,

Destroying evidence would be claimed if I started to clean,

But if I didn’t, what would be surmised if I fled the scene?

It was all so confusing, I wasn’t sure next what should ensue,

I slipped a note under the office door explaining what I would do,

I’d pay for the damage even though it wasn’t mine,

I wanted to leave a positive note but there just wasn’t time,

I gathered what I could and hiked towards the station,

Staying in the deepest shadows, a desperate man in a situation,

In an alley across the street I caught my breath, it looked safe to go,

A sudden premonition said something was wrong, just stay low,

My pickup looked ready, but the station was too quiet, too perfect,

I waited a few minutes for some sounds I could detect,

A car door opened, I heard a voice, “For Pete’s sake, can’t you wait?”

“I have to pee.  He’s not here anyway, it’s probably too late,”

“If you scare that bastard off you’ll wreck the Sheriff’s plan,

If the Sheriff sees you standing there, you’ll be a dead man,”

“Check your gun and be ready, but let me get the first shot,

I’m the better marksman, in case you up and forgot,”

The two deputies I met at the café seemed to have plenty to say,

I dropped to the pavement, I wanted to live another day,

Another car drove past, Nathan and the Sheriff, side by side,

The Sheriff was driving, Nathan had a rifle pointing outside,

They went two blocks, came back and parked their car,

“Don’t worry, Nathan,” the Sheriff consoled, “He can’t get far,”

“You seen him yet? I’ve got the other boys ready at the ends of town,

I’m hoping he’ll come here, it won’t be long before he’s found,

Anybody who’s dumb enough to rape the mayor’s wife,

Doesn’t deserve to live.  We’ll string him up and take his life,”

“We should have done that with the other strangers last time,

Rather than dumping their bodies in the old gold mine,

Now, Nathan, you’ve got to be calm and just wait,

We’ll hang him as an example, this time justice won’t be late.”

In the alley I inched away, then sprinted to the main highway,

There was no time to lose, there was no place to stay,

At a fast food restaurant two trucks were parked, my last hope,

One truck was loaded with carnival rides, I could bless the Pope!

One of the rides was a big fish!  Wouldn’t I have quite the tale,

Wouldn’t it be something if I escaped in the belly of a whale?

But positive energy was flowing towards the cattle truck,

Call me crazy, but I pushed and shoved my way in, trusting to luck,

The cattle were restless so I sang softly to quiet them down,  

When the driver returned they watched him but made no sound,

He followed the carnival driver heading south through the woods,

After a few miles they came to a halt, “We need to check your goods”

Deputies swarmed all over the carnival truck, checking out the rides,

The cattle truck was smelly and two deputies said, “We’re not climbing inside,”

The truck was waved on after the deputies said their goodbyes,

I stood again as soon as we were on the road, crooning lullabies,

A few towns later the trucks pulled over and the drivers popped out,

They came to the back and the cattle truck driver began to shout,

“You can come out now and quit your hiding, it’s time you were found,”

I made my way forward and stepped quickly to the ground,

“The cattle wouldn’t be behavin’ unless there’s a cowboy, was my hunch,

But I’ll be danged if I was going to turn you over to that wild logger bunch,

We’d be witnesses to your treatment, they’d shoot us on sight,

Telling anybody who’d listen that we helped you take flight,”

“Where’re you headin’? I’d take you up front but you don’t smell good,”

“To turn myself in,” I answered, “It’s the right thing, I know I should,”

At the police station they ignored me, then things happened quick,

 I convinced them I was telling them the truth, it wasn’t a trick,

I told them about the old mine and the FBI was called in,

Tourists had disappeared there, and speculation was grim,

Melissa hung tough but after inconsistencies began to show,

She blubbered about the sheriff and Nathan, her tears did flow,

The Sheriff and two of the deputies were arrested and booked,

Nathan had shot one of Melissa’s lovers so his goose was cooked,

Me? I was lucky to get out of there, my pickup fixed free,

The rude man and his friends? Now that’s still a mystery,

I don’t think about what they tried to do, that’s negativity,

All I know is positive forces seem to agree with me.

I think being positive beats negativity every time, although I still haven’t gotten to go camping.  I can picture it now, camping in the forest, close to the ocean, watching the elk herd meander along, waiting for the fog to lift, enjoying the excitement of nature, wide eyed and ready for new adventures.