In my early twenties,
I used to dare trains
To suck me
Under their wheels.
Flipping the cap
Of a bottle of root beer
Coin-style
Between the rails for good luck,
I would,
On a freight engine's approach,
Stand as close to the edge
Of the platform
As I could
And brave the mighty wind
Of its passing.
Standing head-on
Toward the diesel-powered
Tornado,
Its deafening roar
Surrounding me,
My leather trench coat
Whipping around my legs,
The gale
Buffeting my chest
And threatening to buckle
My knees,
I experienced the greatest thrill
I have ever known.
Over and over
I cheated Death this way,
At times
Even laughing in the teeth
Of the wind.
Once,
A would-be hero
Stood beside me
In the whirling tides of air
And held on to my arm.
I don't remember
What he said.
I just remember
Being annoyed with him
For killing my buzz
And not understanding
That this was not about suicide.
At any rate,
I eventually stopped.
I realized after time
How dangerous
This pastime was
And vowed never
To go near the rails again.
Although I haven't,
There are times
When I miss those days...
T