[Freightliner humming, audiobook low] Getting fatigue, dozing behind wheel. Truck northbound, lights too damn bright, blaring horn like I did him wrong. Holler at him on CB, he calls me racial slur, playing with CB noise toys irritating for no reason. Turn CB off, flip on audiobook. Wife in bunk sleeping peacefully, wishing I could join her. Still glance over to passenger side out of habit. Someone staring in my window watching me. Mash on pedal, somebody trying to rob me. Look again, figure gone. Heart beating. Wife sticks head through curtain, honey are you okay? Yeah honey I'm fine. Try to be hard-core, not letting nothing bother me. Floored that old Freightliner. Two hours in, audiobook listening to me instead of me listening to it. See my wife sitting in passenger seat, having conversation. Then wife from bunk says, honey who you talking to? Look over, nothing in seat. I could've sworn you were sitting here. She says no, been back here sleeping dreaming of home. 100 miles in. Seeing coyotes in and out of headlights, someone hit one, head in middle of road staring at me. Pass Winslow, Holbrook, well into New Mexico. Coyote head again, staring. Accident on highway, get off on back road not meant for big trucks, would bring us around to Los Lunas to 25 back to 40. That's when that figure was on the running board on passenger side. Now I'm scared, worried about my wife and I making it home safely. Put music on, pop some gum. Determined to make it.
