Death on Hold

Sighting My Destination A Glitzy Watering Hole Directly Across The Steaming Boulevard From The Cavern I Stepped From The Curb Onto The Hot Asphalt And Headed For The Concrete Center Island. Dodging Stopping Vaulting--Once More The Invincible Florida State Wideout-I Reached My Midstream Destination Breathless And Unscathed. In My Wake I'D Left Several Stalled Vehicles And A Few Frustrated Motorists Chewing Their Lips And Signaling Their Chagrin With The Traditional Stiff Middle-Fingered Salutation. Unabashed I Acknowledged Their Display Of Plebian Discourtesy By Smiling And Lifting Both Arms Above My Head And Offering A Double-Barreled Nixon-Style Response In Kind. Flushed With Success Purposefully And Smugly Certain Of My Invincibility I Set Out Again And Managed To Cross The First Of The Five Remaining Lanes Without Incident. I Did Pause Momentarily To Offer A Congratulatory Smile To The Lovely Driver Of A Bmw Who Managed A Squealing Stop With Her Bumper Vibrating Against My Leg. It Was Almost Sensual. Undaunted By The Close Call I Continued On Giving The White-Faced Driver A Quick Wave Of Appreciation . Then My Luck Ran Out. The Brief Pause Propped Up Against The Bmw'S Bumper Broke My Rhythm And Subsequently Caused Me To Stumble Into The Path Of An Extended-Cab Pickup A Dodge Ram I Believe. I Don'T Remember The Impact Just A Blinding Light And A Mind-Numbing Explosion. That'S When My Unanticipated Sojourn In The Circle Of Death-The First Circle--Began.