Blast

Charlie was considering distance,
the tick of the odometer
on his way through Pennsylvania
through the wee hours of the night.

Each tenth clicking by-
528 feet, 528 more...

and it brought to mind
certain blithe claims
of Mickey Mantle clouts
of over 600 feet.

Improbable.

Kingman at Wrigley in 1976
measured in at around 530.
A tenth.

Either way he found himself yawning,
fascinated.... and a game,
with himself and the road
he, on the spot, created.

Peering into the rear-view
he found the lines guiding him,
and decided to see if he could
drive a tenth of a mile without
looking ahead, or ending up dead.

He never made it,
eased up on the gas,
had a palpitating heart..

THAT was a blast.