ISSUE: Autumn 1980
Route 54 West
gas station
and grocery
3 miles
from town. We drove
flying through miles
of cornfields
late hot afternoon
—”Can’t tell
if it’s open.”
Old pumps dusty
an awning
in front and
inside somewhere
in the
back on a
wooden chair
watching TV
a fat man
wearing an
apron
gets up
with effort
“. . .fellas, hope
you’re not
rushin”
. . . by
the time I
get out there,
it’ll be
tomorrow.”