stopping for an oil change
on my way home from school
the tech went to open my hood
pausing to tell me
i had a ‘little friend’ traveling along with me
a praying mantis
who had hunkered down and hung on just below my windshield
he very carefully opened the hood
the mantis hopped up on the windshield wiper
hung out while my oil was changed
just taking it all in
other people came over to check him out
still he held his ground
the tech carefully closed the hood when finished
trying to very gently coax the mantis to go back to his safe spot
before i drove off
but the mantis would not be deterred
hung on as i drove to the book store
then i drove toward home
with my very special hood ornament
my ride along
even still hanging on
gone when i got home
perhaps he hopped off
stopping to visit a town along the way
i hope it was the adventure of a lifetime.
—
“the truth is
you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.
life is a crazy ride,
and nothing is guaranteed.”
-eminem
